Thinking of buying or selling a home soon? You’re certainly entering the market at an exciting time.
The housing market is currently experiencing one of the biggest booms in modern history, with prices all across the country on the rise. If you’re hoping to make a sale or purchase, you’ll need to act fast, which will mean getting familiar with everything involved in the home sale process.
Looking over home inspection checklists, for example, will give you a sense of what it’s like to prep a home to swap ownership. How can you use this tool to help ensure the overall home sale process runs smoothly?
Read on, and we’ll walk you through the home inspection basics that you should be familiar with.
Reasons For a Home Inspection
Having a home inspection done is an understood part of the home sale process. No home switches hands without this kind of inspection done, at least not during traditional sales.
Why is this tradition such an important part of the process of selling a home?
The point of these inspections is to give the prospective buyer peace of mind. They are handing a certain large sum of cash over, and they’ll want to know that they won’t have to fork over more money later on to deal with issues and repairs.
Traditionally, during a home sale, a seller must disclose to a buyer all potential issues with the home that they are aware of. It is illegal to withhold this kind of information.
A professional inspector can let a buyer know of any other potential issues with the home. These might be things that the homeowner was unaware of or had overlooked.
Depending on the extent of these issues, a buyer might end up thinking twice about actually purchasing a home. Is the extent of home repairs needed, or the risk associated with the issues, too much? It might not be worth taking on the house for the price that was initially agreed on.
If you’re selling a home, doing your own inspection will allow you to safeguard your sale against surprises. You don’t want to slow down the process by running into a major inspection speedbump at the end of your sale process.
In fact, conducting your own inspection before putting a house on the market can help greatly in selling a home fast. It can ensure the home equity you’ve built up is properly evaluated.
What Is on Home Inspection Checklists?
What might you find on your traditional home inspection checklist? Even though a professional will be conducting the inspection, it’s important to know what to consider.
A traditional inspection takes anywhere between two and four hours. During this time, the inspector will look at the roof, gutters, attic, windows, doors, and all other structural elements of the home.
They’ll also look at the existing internal systems of the home, including the HVAC system, the interior plumbing, and the current electrical system.
The goal will be to identify any and all defects with the home across these areas.
Once an inspection concludes, an official write-up is delivered by the inspector that outlines all the findings and potential problems associated with the home. This write-up can be used by a seller to determine what to repair, and a buyer can use it to assist in their final purchasing decision.
Before listing your home on a platform like Selling.House, you’ll want to make sure you understand what an inspection might turn up.
Common Home Inspection Issues
Selling a house in the near future? Knowing more specifically what kind of problems often arise during home inspections can help you determine what to look for during your own inspection of the home.
The Roof
The roof is often the area of the home where the most problems are revealed. This is an area the average homeowner doesn’t see and thus isn’t aware of when problems start to develop.
A roof that has begun to sag, lose shingles or show signs of water damage will come up as a big red flag during an inspection. Before putting your home on the market, you’d want to ensure all shingles are fixed and that there are no signs of leaks anywhere.
The Attic
The attic might also reveal evidence of these same problems. An inspector will look through the attic for any signs of the aforementioned water damage issues. They will examine the existing insulation and see if future water problems might arise.
Again, any issues with insulation or leaks in the attic will need to be taken care of before putting the home on the market.
HVAC System
Last but not least, you’ll want to take a close look at your HVAC system. This is another place where problems often persist and can continue even while homeowners aren’t aware.
If your HVAC system has any leaks, corrosion, or sediment issues, you’re likely going to alarm an inspector or buyer later on. If there is an issue with your system, it might be worth having it repaired or replaced prior to putting your home on the market.
HVAC system issues can be costly, and it’s the kind of repair that can easily scare buyers away.
Home Renovations and Repairs Before Sale
If you’re planning on selling your home soon, it’s important to do a number of repairs and renovations before putting your property on the market.
Understanding the basics of home inspection checklists, as outlined above, can help you to determine where to focus your attention and energy during this time.
Need more home equity advice and information? Keep scrolling our blog for more.
