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What to expect

when the house you

are selling is

inspected

We understand it can be nerve-wracking to have the home you are selling inspected.  Please understand that the home inspector is not on a campaign to find defects in your home or to nit-pick your house.  The home inspector is there to give the house and its components a good test-drive, and to provide the homebuyer with an unbiased report on the condition of the home and its components.  Try not to view the inspector as an adversary.  He is just doing his job, one that will, in fact, give credibility to the condition of your property. When inspecting your home, the inspector will perform the same thorough inspection you would expect him to perform for you.  An ethical inspector will be fair and honest in his findings. The inspector will spend time both inside and outside your home, on the roof, in the attic, and in the crawl space.  The inspector will also be operating the fixtures, appliances, and safety devices in the home.  For an average size house, you should expect the inspection to take between two to three hours.  Larger homes and older homes will likely require more time. You need not be home for the inspection, and similarly, you need not vacate the home.  Some Realtors may encourage you to stay to answer questions, and others may encourage you to leave to ensure the inspector can complete his work unhindered.  We suggest you follow your Realtor’s recommendation, however if your Realtor has not given you specific instructions, we recommend simply doing what is most convenient for you.  If you would prefer to stay home, please stay.  If you would prefer to leave, feel free.  We can lock up when we leave.  If you have a pet that may be a problem for the inspector, please arrange for the pet to stay at a friend or neighbor’s house. A lot of home sellers ask at the end of the inspection, “Did my house pass?”  Home inspections do not result in a pass or a fail.  The end result of a home inspection is an inspection report detailing the conditions of the home.  No house is perfect; with any home there are always a few maintenance items or repairs that will need attention.  The person who hires the home inspector will eventually be the one who decides what to do as a result of the inspection findings.  Every buyer has his or her own ideas about what may or may not be acceptable.  For example if the home inspector finds that the roof is in poor condition, one buyer may ask for it to be repaired before they move in, and one may say that is fine and that they are happy with how it is. Please do not expect the inspector to share his findings with you.  Unless there is an immediate safety concern, the inspector is ethically responsible to keep his findings confidential for the person paying for his services.  If the homebuyer will want you to address any issues in the house, such communication will come through proper channels after the homebuyer has had the opportunity to review the inspection report. In preparation for the inspection, please ensure the inspector will have access to the following items: • Water heater • Heating system and cooling system • All electric service panels • Any access hatches to crawl spaces or attics • As much as possible, please also ensure there is clearance to all areas of the house, including all windows, doors, fireplaces, patios, and decks.  The inspector will not be commenting on cleanliness, in fact, we understand many people whose homes we are inspecting are in the process of packing for a move; that’s not a problem.  Don’t worry about cleaning on our behalf, but please do what you can to help ensure we have access to all components in the home. <Back>