No one likes surprises when it comes to buying a home, and no one intentionally would want to sell a home that has any defects that could hurt another. For both the buyer and the seller, a home inspection is a great way to know the details of the property you are either looking to give to another or are about to purchase for your yourself and / or your family. No home is perfect, but knowing the ins and outs of your home is a great way to sell or buy with confidence, and to build confidence to sell it for top dollar. An inspection is not a pass or fail, its more of a guide to give you a heads up of what should or can be replaced to ensure the safety of those living in the home and your neighbors. Though inspections are not a pass or fail test, they can cause concerns when it comes to closing a deal. If there are items that show up that do not please the buyer, it can cause alarm and open the door for renegotiations or even canceling the purchase contract. So it can give the seller great peace knowing ahead of time what is going on. Not only to fix any issues, but to be assured any deal that arrises stays locked down. A typical home inspection will take a few hours. A great inspector will come in and set the expectations of what he will be reviewing and why. The buyer usually has their own inspector come in after an offer has been placed and is accepted on the property. At the inspection, both
the seller agent and the buyer agent are there with the buyer and the inspector to ensure the process doesn’t turn into a one sided event that benefits the buyer. Most inspectors though, even if they are hired by the buyer, are fair in their assessment. You want them to be thorough, but not super picky where they freak the buyer out. The general rule of the seller agent is to
keep common ground to ensure the buyer knows what is reasonable and what really should be fixed in a home that has been lived in prior.

The buyer agent and the seller agent should work together to be sure the inspector doesn’t let the deal fall through because of crazy outlandish claims about the property. The main point of the inspection is to look for safety issues. All mechanics such as the water heater, electrical outlets, AC compressors, plumbing, and ventilation will be tested, and the building interior and exteriors will be reviewed to ensure they are up to code standards. The inspectors job is to find defects. Inspectors will not be concerned with anything that is cosmetic in the home, such as cracks in the walls, or a broken shower door. In a shower, they will test
the heat of the water but they wont advise on getting a new tub if its stained. The seller can prepare for an inspection by keeping the receipts of any maintenance or routine work that has been done on the space. Cleaning out the clutter of the home allows the
inspector to get in and out of tight places easily so they can inspect everything they need to. Especially access to the electrical panel, furnace, and water heater. You’ll want to ensure all light bulbs are working. A burnt out bulb to an inspector makes them question the wiring associated with the light, not that the bulb is burnt out. Run water prior to be sure there are no
clogs that could trigger the inspector to think there is an issue with the plumbing. You can replace the HVAC system to ensure all filters are clean and that there isn’t anything compromising the air quality in the home. Cap any gas lines and / or chimneys to prevent fumes from coming in the home.

The last thing both a buyer and a seller want to do is have the deal fall through. The buyer of course is excited to have found their dream home and neither really want to put the house back on the market because of a bad inspection. There are ways to prepare the purchase contract to avoid these deals from falling through, but its just wise to to be prepared ahead of time so both the seller and the buyer can have peace of mind. The inspection is mandatory, but doesn’t have to be a headache. Preparing beforehand ensures the inspection is more of a speed bump than a mountain, and you’ll be clear to close in no time.