From time to time, sellers ask us how you can prepare for a home inspection.
Bob Murphy is a home inspector
Leave appliances clear: Don’t leave dirty dishes in the dishwasher or laundry in the washing machine or dryer. This is because the inspector will need to test the appliances, and he doesn’t want to have to pull out dirty clothes in front of everybody. The same is true for your oven and stovetop. The inspector will need to test them without moving your food or pots around.
Make things accessible: Ensure the location of the attic and crawlspace are identified and easy to access. Don’t make a home inspector move your belongings in order to gain access. Strategically placed bundles and belongings can imply that the seller is trying to hide something and can cause the buyer to get nervous and the home inspector to get very thorough.
Check the lightbulbs: If a lightbulb isn’t working, the inspector will need to determine if the fixture is inoperable. Save them time by making sure all the lightbulbs in the home operate, including those in the crawlspace, attic, and furnace rooms.
Note shut off valve: Sometimes the location of your water shut-off valve is not obvious. You may want to label this to make it more obvious.
Will is the principal broker of Nesbitt Realty and Condo Alexandria. He is licensed in anywhere in the Commonwealth of Virginia, but focuses on those communities found in and around Alexandria, Arlington, Mount Vernon and Springfield/Franconia.
Will has been involved in real estate management, sales and investment for more than twenty years. He is a veteran of the U.S. Army. While in the army, he studied Russian at Monterey's Defense Language Institute. He is also a "veteran of the dotcom wars" and built most of the sites associated with NesbittRealty.com
Will currently resides in Belle Haven Estates just outside Old Town, overlooking New Alexandria. He is a former president of the Mount Vernon Youth Athletic Association and founded the Alexandria Fun with Friends Group. Will is the author of BattlestorM, a tabletop fantasy game, which was published by Ral Partha Publishing in the late '90's, and Arthur's Realm, a boardgame available at the Gamecrafter.
