Prepping your home for an inspection

If you are having a home inspection, you'll want to perform a thorough once-over of your own home before the professional arrives.

Performing a pre-sale inspection can signal to home buyers that a seller wants to offer a top-notch property and lessen fears of hidden issues in a listed home. There is also an opportunity to tidy up a bit before buyers see the property. If you already have interested buyers lined up, you'll still want a positive review when they conduct their own investigation. In either case, the main goal is to ensure a fast but comprehensive review of your home.

Here are some tips for facilitating the process and receiving favorable results from a property inspection:

Make the home accessible

Inspectors aren't going to stand in your doorway, peek around and quickly grade your property. They are going to scrutinize each nook and cranny. Remove clutter so that your inspector is able to move around without having to push aside your belongings. Additionally, make sure that key areas such as the attic, basement, electrical panel and crawl space can be reached. If there are locks or latches, unsecure them prior to the inspector's arrival.

Change old lightbulbs

If you have burned out lightbulbs, replace them. When home inspection professionals see a dead bulb, they have to determine whether it simply burned out or if there is an issue with the fixture. Determining the latter adds more time to your inspection and may lead to suggestions of electrical problems in the report.

Be sure to check all bulbs, even those in areas that are not accessed often, such as those in the crawl space.

Check for broken or missing items

If you have a loose doorknob or other item in need of repairs, be sure to address these issues prior to the house inspection. Also, tidy up your appliances. When the inspector arrives, as he or she will likely want to test them.

Cage your pets

Of course, you'll probably want your pets to be out the way when prospective buyers are viewing your home - be sure to do the same during an inspection. Cage or crate your pets, and keep in mind that it may not be a good idea to place them in a room where the inspection will take place, especially if you have a dog that barks at guests.