If you plan to put your house on the market, I highly recommend that make a pre-inspected checklist to avoid potential problems or delays in the sale of your home and also save your time and money. In today’s market people always wish to hire a professional who inspects the home on their behalf. Because professionals are people who know the quality of the home to avoid inconvenience you have to pre-inspect your home. Having a pre-listing home inspection will help you to solidify and you will not face the quality issue hopefully inspection professionals will confirm that they are buying a good sound home. The checklist I prepare for you will help you to get started with your evaluation of your home and also help you to be prepared for the pre-inspection expected.
You may be assumed that home inspection is just for new home buyers who looking to invest in and investigate the property before their investment. It also is a seller’s best asset as well. If you preparing to sell your home anytime soon, having a pre-listing home inspection checklist can ensure to get a good offer in the deal.
1. Yard Areas
If I told you about the out-yard area, I will suggest proper grading and drainage away from the house. Remove all the evidence of standing water. if you have applied a septic system there should not be any leakage there. Keep your yard, landscaping, trees, and walkaways in good condition, with no branches, or bushes touching the house or overhanging on the roof or somewhere. Also, Make sure the exterior structure of your home, fences, decks, sheds, and garages, are in good condition and make sure there should be no evidence of pest infestation, rot, or any kind of fungus. There should be adequate railings on stairs and decks, secure and meet the code of the building.
Driveways, sidewalks, patios, and entrance landings should be in good condition and pitch away from your home. Structure, Board lines should be straight and level in ridge and fascia. Keep your side of the house straight and without any bowed or sagging. Frames should be in a square of windows and doors especially bowed windows. If there is any visible foundation should be in good condition pear straight, and plumb, with no significant cracks on it.
2. Exterior
No wood and earth contact, clearance between ground and wood at least 6” – Inches recommended. There is no siding, rot, decay, or cracking should be there. There should be no broken, flaking components no cracks in joints, and masonry veneers. No large should be out there. On aluminum siding there should be no dents, damage, now bowing, and loose siding. No vines on the surface of the structure. In paint or stain no flaking or blisters. So, There should be no stains on exterior surfaces.
3. Window & Doors
In the case of windows and doors, there should be no cracks, rot, or decay, pieces should be secure. Joint frames are caulked, no broken glasses, damaged screen, no broken or double-paned, insulated window seals, Strom window/thermal glass used, drip caps installation should be properly and over windows.
4. Roof
composition shingles, no curling, no cupping, no loss of granulation, no broken, damaged, or missing shingles, no more than two layers of roofing. Case of wood shingles and shakes, there should be no mold rot, decay, no crack, broken, missing, no curling. The case of a flat roof no obvious patches, no cracks, splits, minimal blisters, no silt, sealed tar at flashings, no excess roofing cement, tar, or caulk. And in soffits and fascia, there should be no decay, no stains. Exterior venting for eave areas, the vent should be clean, and there should be no paint over it. Gutters, with no decay, rust, joints sealed, the attachment should be secure for structure. No bending, sagging, no section of gutter or downspout missing, gutters clean, no mud deposits. In the case of chimneys, straight, flashed, no damaged bricks, no cracked joints, mortar, and cement cap in good condition.
5. Rooms
Floors, ceilings, and walls should appear straight, level, and plumb. No stains on the floor, wall, or ceiling. The floor should be in good condition.
6. Stay ahead
However, when you know what is wrong with your house before anyone else knows, you have the opportunity to get ahead of making any necessary repair if required that might be a deal-breaker.
7. Deficiencies
If you know any part of your home is nearing the end of its useful life, you can make that information known to your agent and buyer upfront. It helps to express your wiliness, to be honest.
8. Price
List the fairest market price. You might have an idea as anyone knows how much your home is worth? Based on the prices in the area you live, neighborhood prices, or you may check prices online. However, throwing a number out there without proper research means you are asking for a price off target in that case.
9. Cost of pre-listing home inspection
So, how much and how does pre listing home inspection cost to you. It cost the same; if you hire an inspecting team member or your potential buy, do it costs the same. Every professional out there for inspection has its guidelines for prices. Their cost/fee is usually based on the area of house/building they are inspecting, based on square feet, age, size of the home, etc. There might be extra charges/costs in case you are going to ask for an inspection of the outbuilding, pool, and extended property fence lines. Normally an expert/professional/inspector charges around $300 to $1000 accordingly. As a seller mostly you are responsible for payment.
The due date is mostly the day of inspection. If a buyer hires an inspector, it’s their time to pay the fee they cost. It’s now their responsibility to pay. And in either scenario, just the report belongs to the payer. Before you go further, I suggest you hire a professional for a pre-listing home inspection.
You can visit Magazine Hubs for more details, if there is any ambiguity you can contact them.