After receiving an offer, agreeing on the sale price, and signing papers, home inspection follows. At this point, a satisfactory inspection report might be the last hurdle towards closing the sale. As such, it’s important that you prepare for a home inspection to get this report right. In fact, that’s could be the reason you are reading this guide on how to prepare for a home inspection as a seller.

Generally, a home inspection is not a test to study for. However, there are things that you can do to ensure that the inspection process runs smoothly. Here are some of the ways to prepare for a home inspection as a seller.

De-clutter and Clean Your Home

This may sound simple or obvious but it is always overlooked by most home sellers. Some homeowners assume that the inspector will be interested in more that the sparkle of a properly cleaned home. However, a home inspector is a human. Therefore, a cluttered and dirty house will give them the notion of a poorly maintained house. A clean house will tell the inspector that you have always taken proper care of your home. This will give them a great impression of your home. So, clean and de-clutter your home in preparation for an inspection.

Organize the Paperwork

Make sure that you have documented all repairs and maintenance practices that have been done on the home that you are selling. If you filed an insurance claim that relates to your home, have those papers ready. This will enable you to prove to the inspector that you have always handled problems as they arise thereby keeping the home in good shape.

Keep Utilities Connected

A home inspector will definitely run a dishwasher, turn on your stove, and test the air conditioning and the furnace during the inspection process. Therefore, leave utilities connected especially when selling a vacant house. The inspector may be unable to check reverse polarity and grounding receptacles if you have turned the power off. If utilities are not connected, the inspector may have to reschedule the inspection and this will definitely delay the sale.

Make Your Home Accessible

Make sure that the inspector won’t struggle to make his way into your home. For instance, clear bush and dead branches from the trees that surround your home. Remove trash cans from your home. Also leave doors and gates to the garage or shed unlocked for the inspector.

Create Workspace around Water Heaters and Furnace

Remove bookcases, boxes, and furniture that may block the inspector from accessing the water heater, air conditioner or furnace. Make sure that the inspector has a working space of 3 to 4 feet so that they can comfortably inspect these fixtures. The inspector may not move anything but if they can’t access the fixtures, they may recommend hiring a specialist to do so. And if the home buyer doesn’t understand the reason for the recommendation, they may engage a specialist that will definitely find more wrong things. That’s because the specialists is more knowledgeable than the home inspector.

When selling a home, follow this guide to prepare for a home inspection. Nevertheless, consider scheduling a pre-inspection and fix problems that the inspector will highlight before the buyer’s inspector comes.