Island Sotheby's International Realty

Patty Chaney Blog
Maui Real Estate News and Maui Lifestyle News

Home Inspections
Seller's Tips
April 02, 2008

Home Inspections
When I first started as a REALTOR®, 20 years ago, the Buyer and their real estate agent typically performed the home inspection. The more sophisticated Buyers hired a contractor/handyman to check over the home. Today, however, 99% of Buyers hire a professional certified home inspector.

Today's Professional Home Inspectors, check just about EVERYTHING! They crawl below the home when it is on post on pier and check the footings, look in the attic space, check the wiring in the electrical panel box, the outlets and wall switches, check the water pressure, the irrigation valves, the garage door safety features, roof quality and all the appliances. If it is beyond their scope, they may recommend a specialist such as a pool and spa technician.

Here are some good tips for Sellers that will better prepare their homes for inspection. The less that shows up in an inspection report, the more comfortable a Buyer will feel about moving forward with the home purchase.

A neat and tidy home and exterior will give the appearance that a home is well maintained.
Confirm that water, electric and gas service are on, with gas pilot lights burning.
Replace any burned out bulbs to avoid a "Light is inoperable" report that may suggest an electrical problem.
Test smoke detectors, and replace dead batteries.
Clean or replace dirty AC air filters. They should fit securely.
Remove stored items, debris and wood from around the house and foundation. These may be cited as "conducive conditions" for termites.
Check to see if there is any soil to wood contact around the perimeter of the house.
Check gates, fences.
Check pool pumps, filters, chemicals in pool for proper ph balance.
Remove items blocking access to AC equipment, electric service panels, water heaters, attics and crawl spaces.
Unlock areas the inspector must access - attic doors or hatches, electric service panels, closets, fence gates and crawl spaces.
Trim tree limbs to 10′ from the roof.
Trim any shrubs too close to the house.
Inspect and attend to broken or missing items like doorknobs, locks and latches; windowpanes, screens and locks; gutters, downspouts and chimney caps.
Have your chimney inspected before hand.
Clear debris from gutters.
Remove any mildew build up on the exterior and interior of a home on surfaces, closets, under sink cabinets.
Remove or secure pets from the premises so they will not hinder the inspection. Ideally, they should be removed or secured outside. Tell your agent about any pets at home.

If you observe the tips listed above, the inspection will go smoother, with fewer concerns to delay closing.

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Seller's Tips