We know from family who have been through buying or selling a home that it can be extremely stressful time. In general, most homeowners are proud of their homes and have put years of hard work, effort into keeping it in good condition, and looking well kept.
So when the time comes to sell your home, and move on, there are some things you can actively do to ensure that your home is prepared for any type of home inspection.
Make sure that you have kept on top of small repairs that are needed within your home. You want things to be in as best condition as possible. Do this to guarantee the sale of your home. You don’t want the sale to hit any snags because of repairs that should have been taken care of years ago.
Make sure that your home is clean and tidy well before the inspector turns up to do his job. You don’t want the buyer’s inspector turning up at your door with the “prospective buyers” and you’ve forgotten that he was coming. The last thing you want to present is dishes in the sink, clothes on the floor, and all the rest that comes with home life.
Make sure that if you have any pets that they are not around when the inspector and buyer arrive. Some people are allergic to pet hair, and you don’t need the smell of wet dog, or soiled cat litter added to the air of your home at the time of inspection.
Make sure that you have left your home, or leave as the inspector arrives; you want the buyer to be as comfortable as possible when looking around your property. If a homeowner is present, it can be stressful for the buyer, and could put them under pressure that is not positive to the sale of the home.
These are simple to follow, helpful, and easy things you can do to prepare for a home inspection service at your property. You want it run smoothly; you need that sale, and you need to feel confident you did all you could to make that happen.
It happens during every home sale. Homeowners neglect to prepare their homes in order make sure the home inspection runs as smoothly as possible. The advantage of preparing your home is it can ensure that you receive a thorough inspection report.
Home inspectors generally arrive early to any property he or she is required to inspect, sometimes up to 45-minutes prior to appointment time. This gives the inspector adequate time to get any equipment set up that allows them to carry out a professional home inspection. As a homeowner, you expect and prepare for an early knock at the door from your selected qualified home inspector; by knowing this you can avoid opening the door with your bed hair all over the place, and yawning with eyes half shut.
If you know when the home inspector is coming, make sure that your home is clutter free. All crawl spaces and your should be easily accessible. What you don’t want is the home inspector having to move and rearrange personal belongings around in order to carry out their home inspection service.
Try to make sure your home is clean, clutter-free, and remember, if your home does have defects, don’t purposely hide them out of sight. Anything that is hidden will more than likely be found and any discovery of “purposely” hidden issues only makes you, the homeowner, feel embarrassed.
The best advice for anyone selling a home would be to get a pre-listing inspection carried out. Having a pre-listing inspection will give you the information that you need to get any repairs fixed to help increase the chance of selling your home, as well as, helping the process go as smoothly as possible.
If you live in Florida, then you are well aware of the threat and damage that a termite infestation can cause. Termite infestation can cause severe structural damage to your home and can even bring it to the ground!
Termite infestation is not only a major inconvenience, the high cost of treatment and restoration required for repair can quickly take your savings. It is common for homeowners with a termite infestation to pay out thousands of dollars for specialized treatments only to find the termites have a possibility of returning.
Is it a wise idea to consider even buying a home without first checking for termite activity? Some people would not even consider it, and smart enough to stay far from a house with termite damage; whereas, some investors might see it as a possible negotiation tool to cut down the offer on that property.
A homeowner does not want bugs and insects turning up, so take the time to request an inspector perform a walkthrough before moving forward with the purchase of the home.
If you already own the home, take preventative action to make sure infestation does not happen. In most cases, treatment is successful and preventative measures eradicate the problem from returning. There are a few extreme cases though when it is untreatable.
If you are considering purchasing a home that has had termite infestation and damage issues in the past, then look to hire a home inspection company. Hire a company offering termite inspection as part of the service. It’s important for you to know if the termite issue has been resolved, or if the problem is going to be ongoing with the problem resurfacing every couple of months.
As mentioned above, termite infestations are treatable. Repairs to the damage can be sorted out quickly with a licensed and certified contractor. Make sure that once your termite problem has been treated you get a regular termite inspection service carried out. This will help you catch any problems or termite activity before they put you out of pocket again, or worse out of your home.
You need to make sure that your home meets all the safety requirements required by law. Many areas need to be kept maintained and looked after to ensure that your home is a safe place to live on an ongoing basis. One area that needs special attention is the condition of the drinking water running through the pipes in your home.
Having your water tested is essential in maintaining good health for you and your family. Whether your water is sourced from a private well or a water storage tank located in your home it is vitally important that you get it checked and tested. The reason that you need your water tested is to make sure that it is safe for both you and your family to drink.
You could be in tiptop shape and feeling absolutely fine, but that does not mean the water you are consuming is free from contaminants. Some of the bacteria found in drinking water can take a toll over a number of years, and do lead to long-term health issues.
So it is imperative even of you are feeling well to regularly get your water source checked and treated for any issues are found.
Even if your neighbour has had there well tested and it has been given the all clear this does not automatically clear your water source and make it alright to drink. The water in your well will change, it will change for a number of reasons; for example, heavy rain and the different seasons all playing a part in the process.
Once your water testing is carried out, and if it shows contamination, you must stop using the water immediately. The source of the contamination must be found corrected and treated, and then given the all clear before you can even think about drinking or using it again.
A water well test can be included as part of a home inspection service, you need to know that the water you are drinking and brushing your teeth with is safe and free from any harmful bacteria.
For more information on the types of bacteria that could be affecting your water supply visit the CFBInspect specialist services page.
If you are a buyer looking for a new home, or a seller getting your property in good condition for the market, then it’s important to be aware of the damage that can be caused by a leaking roof.
Generally, a leaky roof is easily spotted and is noticeable by the water stains and tracks can easily be seen running across the underside of your ceiling. In most cases, you can trace where the leak has entered, through to the side of the ceiling from the attic, by following the discolored track.
Spotting a leak is easy, but finding the source of the leak can be a little more difficult. It’s important to understand that even a minor leak can amount to major damage. If you have a leak in your home or property then fix it straight away. That tiny drip that doesn’t really bother you can lead to serious mold issues. Mold rots framing, destroys insulation, and finally results in you paying an expensive repair bill that empties your savings.
You are less likely to have a leak in a newly constructed home, it is usually the case, the older the home the more likely it is to have a leak or two. Of course, that’s sometimes due to neglect by its current owner through the years.
One of the best ways to ensure that the property you are looking to buy is worth the asking price is to have it evaluated by a home inspector first. On the other hand, if the property you are looking to sell and you want it to sell quickly, get a home inspection, to assure the buyer there are no major problems.
Having a professional home inspector look over the property, the last thing you want to do is replace a whole section of the roof because you didn’t repair a leak right away.
