Okay...Your home is in under contract and the buyer has scheduled a home inspection.
Should you be worried about what the inspector might find? The answer depends, of course, on the condition of your home and how well you've maintained its major components over the years. Regardless of what the inspector may uncover, however, you shouldn't be concerned about the inspection itself.
Here are several tips which will help the inspection go smoothly.
1. Leave the premises. It's preferable to leave your home during the inspector's visit. The Realtors® involved in the sale will monitor the inspection. Your Service Realty agent is familiar with the home inspection process and be able to act as your representative. In fact, many listing agents prefer that the seller not be at home during the buyer's home inspection.
Remember, it’s the buyer’s inspection.
2. Be courteous. Some sellers mistakenly assume the home inspector
is an adversary. Experienced professional home inspectors aren't on a mission to find fault with every tiny aspect of your home. The home inspector's role is to offer the buyer a fair assessment of the condition of the property.
Tip: Allow at least two hours for the inspection.
3. Don't attempt to refute negative comments about your home during the inspection. Inspectors don't appreciate being followed around by argumentative or defensive home sellers (or sellers' real estate agents). The time to explain and negotiate will come after you receive
and review your copy of the inspector's report.
4. Don't make statements about your home that are beyond your personal knowledge. For instance, if the inspector asks you how old the roof is, or when certain appliances were installed, check your records before you answer. If repairs or modifications were made prior to your purchasing the home, don't guess when that work was performed. The same caution about misrepresentations applies to questions about whether permits were obtained for remodeling, the exact square footage of your home, the name of the architect who designed it and so on.
Tip: This is why it’s usually best to make arrangements to vacate the property during the inspection.
5. Don't block access to normal living areas of your home. If the home inspector can't enter a room or complete some other aspect of the inspection because of lack of access, it will be noted in his report and the buyer may question it. 6. Assure the utilities are on for the inspection. If the property you are selling has been vacant for a while and the utilities have been disconnected, it is your responsibility
to assure they are on for the inspection.
One last note: Depending on the terms of your contract with the buyers, they may ask for repairs to be made based on the inspection report. After discussing those repairs with your Realtor®, make arrangements to have the needed repairs completed as soon as possible. Delaying the repairs until the last minute could easily delay your closing. |
