MAKE COSMETIC IMPROVEMENTS
Pay attention to everything in your house that could cause the buyer to "reduce your price." Find it and repair it before you put it on the market. Look for hairline cracks over doors or windows and nail pops in sheetrock. Locate any ceiling stains and the source of the leak. Check for windows with cracked panes that don't open and shut properly. Watch for doors that stick, do not close or slide properly. Examine bathrooms for signs of mildew, rust stains in sinks and toilets, missing tiles or grout or inadequate caulking around tubs. Check for drippy faucets, slow-draining sinks and tubs, broken mirrors, etc. Check all kitchen appliances that remain with the property. PRE-INSPECTION MYTHS Expect inspectors to poke into everything - your house's roof, chimney, gutters, plumbing, electrical wiring, heating and cooling systems, insulation, smoke detectors, all the permanent appliances and fixtures and the foundation. They will also check for health, safety and environmental hazards. You can bet they'll also look for damage from wood-destroying insects (carpenter ants, termites and powder-post beetles), dry rot and fungus infections. Whew! The question is, what do you, the seller, do about inspections? Pre-inspect before the buyer, or wait until the buyer inspects to respond?
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