Five things you should do to simplify the inspection and appraisal process.



In this eighth part of my series on the home selling process, I’ll dive into home inspections and appraisals. Here are five ways sellers can make the home inspection and appraisal process easier:

1. Don’t be home during the inspection. Make sure to clean up a little and remove any pets from the premises.

2. Ensure the inspector or real estate appraiser has access to all areas of the house. The electricity and water need to be working so they can test the appliances. They need to be able to reach the attic and crawl space.

“Making minor repairs up front makes your home more sellable and opens up your pool of buyers.”

3. Leave a note about any nuances. Let the inspector know if there are any nuances to the house that they should know about.

4. Have the comparables printed and on the counter. Your agent should have run these for you when you listed the home.

5. It matters which type of loan the buyer is using. The appraiser is looking at the home differently than the home inspector. Depending on the type of loan the buyer is getting, it will affect what things they look for. For example, with a USDA, FHA, or VA loan, chipping paint, exposed wiring, no handrails on the stairs, or no GFCI outlets will be noted as loan conditions. You and the buyer need to negotiate who’ll address those things before closing. Making minor repairs up front makes your home more sellable and opens up your pool of buyers.

Stay tuned for part nine where I’ll go over the “wait and see” phase. If you have any questions, visit thinkhousesthinkholly.com and reach out to me by phone or email. I look forward to hearing from you.