Before your home goes on the market, you want to make sure it looks its best for potential buyers. Once you have an accepted offer, the next person you need to worry about is the home inspector. The home inspector will be looking at many things your buyer did not. Here are 14 easy fixes to make before your home inspection.
14 Easy Fixes
- Clean out the gutters.
- Trim trees to keep them from touching the home.
- Make sure downspouts drain away from the house.
- Lower the soil below the weep screed and make sure the soil slopes away from the home.
- Change the HVAC filter. You should also have the HVAC system cleaned and serviced.
- Tighten or reinstall loose toilets.
- Repair leaks in faucets and under sinks.
- Make sure drains are not clogged or slow.
- Clean and re-caulk showers, tubs and sinks.
- Test and fix GFCI and other electrical plugs and switches.
- Remove permanent extension cords in the house and garage.
- Test existing and/or install new smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
- Make sure windows move smoothly and latch.
- Repair screens and replace cracked glass in windows.
If you want to know what might come up during the home inspection, you should hire an inspector before putting your home on the market. That will help you know if any of these small items, or any larger ones, might come up in your buyer’s inspection.