Whether your home is newly listed or it’s been on the market for awhile, even if you’re simply thinking about selling, it’s never too early to prepare for the home inspection.

What will the home inspector be looking at? How can you prepare for the inspection? There are a few important but manageable projects that it would be smart to take care of .

For insight and answers, we turned to the National Association of Home Inspectors (NAHI), who’ve outlined many steps you can take before your home inspection—and most can be done at little or no cost to you. These include:

• Removing grade or mulch from contact with siding; six or more inches of clearance is preferred.
• Diverting all water away from the house, i.e. downspouts, sump pump, condensation drains, etc.; grade should slope away from the structure.
• Painting all weathered exterior wood and caulk around trim, chimney, windows and doors.
  • Just one note here: chipping and worn paint is a common issue if your buyers are getting an FHA mortgage. All chipped and worn paint must be repaired.
• Sealing asphalt driveways, if cracking, and filling cracks in concrete driveways and walkways.
• Cleaning or replacing the HVAC filters.
• Testing all smoke and CO detectors to ensure they are in safe working condition.
• Having the chimney, fireplace or wood stove cleaned and providing the buyer with a copy of the cleaning record.
• Ensuring that all doors and windows are in proper operating condition, including repairing or replacing any cracked window panes.
• Ensuring that all plumbing fixtures (toilet, tub, shower, and sinks) are in proper working condition; checking for and fixing any leaks; caulking around fixtures if necessary.
• Installing GFCI receptacles near all water sources. Check all outlet plates to be sure they’re secure and undamaged.
• Checking to ensure that crawlspaces and attics are dry, installing a proper vapor barrier or ventilation if necessary, and removing any visible moisture.
• Checking that bath vents are properly vented and in working condition.
• Removing paints, solvents, gas, etc., from crawlspace, basement, attic, porch, etc.
• Having clear access to attic, crawlspace, heating system, garage and other areas that will need to be inspected.
• Turning on all utilities, including water, electric, water heater, furnace, air conditioning and breaks in the main panel.

Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2016. All rights reserved.

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More Resources for Home Sellers and Home Buyers

Our Buyer’s FAQ page has 9 of the most frequently asked questions from Home Buyers, along with 10 additional resources for Home Buyers at the bottom of the page.

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Thinking of Selling your home? First check out our 9 FAQs for Sellers. Then read on, there are 9 additional resources for Home Sellers at the bottom of the page.