Home Inspections Guide for Home Buyers and Sellers
A home inspection is meant to highlight three main points of a home: Physical condition, items in need of repair or replacement, and remaining useful life of major systems.
If you are buying a home, it’s a good idea to be present during the inspection: you can ask questions and the inspector can point out areas of potential trouble and offer maintenance tips.
Expect an inspection to take 2-5 hours (old homes may take longer) and to cost is $300-$700, depending on size. To hire an inspector, get recommendations from others or check the phone book under “Home Inspection.”
If you are selling your home, get your home ready by taking care of the items the inspectors commonly look for:
Repair cracks, holes and damage to plaster, wallboard, wallpaper, paint, and tiles. Replace damaged windowpanes, moldings and woodwork. Repair drippy faucets and showerheads. Unclog slow drains. Mend torn screens. Clean out all window tracks. Replace burned-out light bulbs and use brighter light bulbs. Re-nail creaking boards or stairs; lubricate squeaking doors. Mend torn screens. Clean out all window tracks. Test your smoke/carbon monoxide detectors to ensure they are in good working condition. Clean and repair all appliances (especially refrigerator and oven).
To make your house is ready to go on the market, also Wash the windows inside and out, hire a cleaning service to thoroughly clean the interior. Paint the walls and ceilings off- white or beige and shampoo carpets. Clean out the fireplace and lay some logs in it.