Tips for Sellers:
Premier Home Inspection believes that in a very competitive market you need to sell your home from a position of "strength" -- that is, prepare your home as much as possible to 'show like a new home.' We have compiled some very useful tips to help you get your home ready to 'be competitive.'
Interior 'Tips':
1. Ensure all doors and windows operate without difficulty.
2. Have as much light as possible in habitable areas of the house: i.e. open blinds, drapes, and other window dressings; insure all light fixtures have high wattage bulbs. All ornaments should be removed from windows, trim any shrubbery or trees that are blocking light from entering through the windows.
3. Remove all clutter, trash, and excess furniture from the interior.
4. Tighten all door and window hardware.
5. Repair any damaged areas in walls or ceilings.
6. Ensure all fans, vents, lights, switches, and plumbing stations, - including drains, washers, etc. operate properly.
7. Replace all broken glass.
8. If cracks or mildew have occurred on the tub or shower stall caulking, remove the old caulking and reseal with a quality caulk.
9. Ensure all drains empty water from their basins at a rate fast enough that there is no danger of overflowing.
10. Clean ventilation filters in hood vent, microwaves, etc.
11. Replace damaged floor tile.
12. Clean and wax floors; sand and refinish if necessary.
Exterior and Grounds 'Tips'
1. Clean the garage and remove storage items that give an untidy impression.
2. Clean the gutters and extend downspouts.
3. Scrape and paint all exterior trim in need of painting. The safest color is white. Use a quality paint and apply at least two coats.
4. Point-up any loose mortar joints on retaining walls, chimneys, inside fireplaces, or wherever brick or block is used.
5. Trim the trees and shrubbery from the house for light and to prevent damage. This also allows that part of the house which is constantly shaded to receive some sunlight to dry out and prevent rot and mildew.
6. Replace all rotten wood in trim, siding, window sills, decks, steps, rails, structural members, and wood decay found elsewhere.
7. Clean all trash and broken equipment from the yard. The best yard will be well drained, grass with a lush green color, and minimum bare spots in the yard.
8. Ensure the grade does not allow water to pool adjacent to the house. We recommind that all places adjacent to the house, where water stands, be filled with a compactable soil. A good grade is a minimum of 1" fall per foot extending at least 4 to 6 feet from the foundation. Also, insure the downspouts extend away from the foundation.
9. Remove all grass, shrubbery, etc. from compressors and condensers.
Basement and Crawlspace 'Tips'
1. Ensure the basement and crawlspace are dry and evidence of past water has been removed. Once the source of dampness has been corrected, dry the basement with a dehumidifier.
2. Ensure all basement walls are visible.
3. Keep boxes and flammable materials away from the furnace or boiler and hot water heaters.
4. Do not hang clothes or other items from plumbing or electrical lines.
5. If there is a sump pump, ensure the pit is clear of debris, the pump is operation, and a cover is over the pit.
6. If there is a floor drain, ensure water is in the trap, that it flows properly, and no sewage odors are backing into the basement.
7. Place a clean filter in the furnace.
8. Ensure basement windows operate properly.
9. Have a well-lighted basement.
10. For crawlspaces, ensure access, good ventilation, a vapor barrier is on the dirt floor, and the insulation is not falling.
11. Clean all debris from the crawlspace and ensure that the electrical wiring is secured to the floor joists or posts.
12. Ensure clothes dryers are vented to the outside. If a clothes dryer has been allowed to vent to the inside and lint is on the walls and other surfaces, have the lint removed.
13. Ensure condensate lines empty into drains or the outside.
14. No leaks at any waste or service plumbing line or appliances.
15. All mechanical systems are to be in a working condition.
16. All switches work properly, covers are in place on junction boxes, outlets, and switches; no dangerous electrical fixtures.
17. Operating smoke detectors - at least one per floor and within 10 feet of any sleeping area.
18. Clean and service humidifier.
19. Check flues to furnace and hot water heater.
20. Ensure easy access to electrical circuit breaker panel.
21. Ensure all electrical wiring is properly supported and no open wires are present.
Inspect your Property
Last but not least, hire a 'Premier' inspector to inspect your home prior to listing it for sale. Check to be sure that the inspector that you choose is certified, preferably by the American Society of Home Inspectors. 'Premier' inspectors are certified, have logged hundreds of inspections, and are continuously upgrading their skills and knowledge. Our inspectors can minimize the dreaded surprises at the settlement table that could cost you alot of extra time and money.
Buyers and sellers, please go to our next page to find out what to expect from a 'Premier' home inspection!
