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Preparing Your Home

In central Mississippi most home sellers don’t prepare for a home inspection. As one more part of the transaction they know it is coming and are ready to leave and give the inspector some time. However, there are things they can do to prepare that can save them time, money and stress.

It is the job of the Brandon Home Inspector to look and identify the condition of the home, things that need further evaluation or repair. While some of these are technical things which may need a licensed trade person to correct, other things are basic home maintenance. Things the sellers could do themselves before the inspector arrives.

As home inspectors in the Jackson, Madison and Brandon areas we often find the same basic non-technical items in our inspections. For example, filters needing to be cleaned or replaced or gutters being full of debris. Simple things to have completed but things that are often overlooked by the seller.

How does preparing your home for the inspection help you and save you money? As you know, when buying a home it can be an emotional and trying time. There are so many details involved and of course, it is a very large investment. It has been our experience that many buyers are already nervous and overwhelmed before ever starting the inspection. The longer the inspection takes and the more things in the inspection report the stronger these emotions become. We encourage the buyer to follow along on the home inspection and learn more about the house and maintenance of the new home. We try to help them see which things are costly and which are simply maintenance items. However, the more things we see and notate, the more the buyer can become concerned. Our job is to help them see the difference between the technical items, needing a professional repair and the basic home maintenance items. To be honest, the less extra items on the list the easier it is for them to see the difference and to not feel concern for the smaller items. Some buyers may be scared away or insist simple things be corrected by a professional instead of allowing you to fix them yourself.

So, it is in your best interest to do some simple jobs before the inspector arrives. Here are a few things you can do ahead of time to make the inspection go more smoothly.

Pre-Inspection Check List

Exterior Doors

  • All exterior doors are accessible
  • All door locks are operable
  • Keys for all locked doors are available

Interior Doors and Rooms

  • All areas of the home are accessible
  • The attic stairs are clear and attic is accessible
  • Items and boxes are not preventing access to closets, rooms or appliances

Electrical

  • The electrical panel is accessible and the cover can be readily removed. The inspector will want to remove the cover on the electric service panel to examine the electrical wiring.

Plumbing

  • Repair any known leaks or let the inspector know.

Heating and Air Conditioning

  • Clean the air filter to ensure a maximum air flow

Pets

  • Remove any vicious or blood thirsty pets from the premises or place them in a secured area. Keep in mind the inspector will need access to the entire home, so the garage will not be a good idea. Our inspectors actually like pets and would hate one to escape out a door or gate during an inspection.

Utilities

  • All the utilities need to be on so the inspector can do a through inspection.
  • Electricity
  • Water
  • Gas

Other

  • Replace any burnt out light bulbs
  • Make any simple repairs
  • Replace rotted wood