Home inspections are a really important part of the process of selling a home. How can sellers prepare ahead of time? What can make a big difference and help the process go as smoothly as possible?

Make space in your home. The inspector should be able to move about freely without a lot of personal items or clutter in the way. Treat the inspection like a showing. Remember that the sellers are not at home during the inspection, but the buyers can be. Be sure to take off any additional locks on the home so the inspector can do their due diligence.

Do all of your lightbulbs work? Replacing your light bulbs before the inspector comes can save them the trouble of them looking for a greater issue with the wiring or electric work. Likewise, any small issues that you can take care of ahead of time can make the list seem much more manageable to the buyer.

Mentally prepare yourself! The list might be more in-depth than you thought. Inspectors are paid to find things, so they will dig deep until they find things. Finally, lean on your advisor to get through the process. This might be your first, second, or third inspection…but they do this almost every day! Your realtor can give you a sense of perspective and understanding on what’s important to handle as a part of the negotiation with the buyer.

Listen to the entire episode or click on the timestamps below to skip ahead to a particular segment.

0:41 - How can sellers prepare for home inspections?

1:15 - Make space.

2:48 - Take care of nuances.

5:09 - Make sure the lightbulbs work.

6:11 - Beware the small details.

7:48 - Get mentally prepared.

10:01 - Trust your agent to guide you through the process.

Get In Touch: