What Should You Inspect Before Selling Your Home?

You have made the decision to sell your house, and now its time to go through a checklist before you actually list it and show it to potential buyers. But what exactly should you check?

As a seller, you need to be aware that buyers can point out problems or potential problems quite easily. Anyone who is about to buy a home would want to do so without potential future headaches that repairs may bring.

Things to look for:

Foundation

If your home is old you certainly need to inspect the foundations. This is best done by a professional who will look for cracked walls, twisted window frames, and even horizontal cracks in the foundation itself.

Pests or Termites

Proper pest control will reach everything you see and everything you don’t. Anything from rats to tiny termites could be a major problem. They should also check your beams and any traces of fungus because it can cause wood disintegration.

Electricity

A lot of electrical rewiring happens throughout the years, and these changes can cause unintended violations or even glitches. That is why it is important to have an electrician take a look at your house’s current electrical situation.

Chimney

A chimney is definitely a selling point when it comes to advantages in a home. But you need to be prepared about any questions it may induce, such as anything related to flue liners and inside bricks to make sure that smoke is exiting properly.

Roof

This could be a nightmare to anyone if it’s damaged. A proper inspection of the roof should take place, and even if you have no intentions in fixing any damage, at least make sure you receive a professional repair or replacement estimate in order to negotiate a deal with the buyer.

Lead Paint

Lead paint has been banned for decades now, and if your home is that old, then you need to make sure that none of the old paint exists any more.

I always recommend that my clients receive professional house inspection for 3 simple reasons:

1. It can greatly highlight your house’s assets
2. It can save you money in the long run
3. And it presents your home as an “open book”!

Being prepared is the best way for you to get your asking price. So get a pen and paper now and call me if you ever need professional advice. I am always happy to help!