Preparing for a home inspection

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Some memories will never leave us. This one seemed like it happened last week.

Like most young males in the 1970s, my car, sorry to say now, was my most prized possession. I had two during those young impressionable times in my life. The first was a ‘73 Nova and the other was a ‘77 Z28. Every single Saturday was a car waxing day to prepare for the night’s activities.

My wax of choice was Mother’s Wax. The waxing job would take me at least two hours, but it was worth every minute. To go cruising around the block, or the occasional drag race, I felt that I had to be no less than 100 percent prepared for the evening. While we can always rely on nothing but sheer luck, to achieve productive results, we must usually put forth some effort.

Most homes being sold today will have a home inspection. To obtain the title of a home inspector, one must obtain a license. There are codes and regulations they must adhere to. The cost for the inspection will range from $375 to $500 depending on the inspector and the size of the home. This person’s only job is to find any and all flaws with the home. And believe me, they do what is expected. If you have ever seen an inspection report, it is 20-30 pages long with countless good and bad and items that need attention concerning the home.

Rob Shipley from DAGR Home Inspections gave me a list of items that would help him inspect with ease.

· Replace all burnt out light bulbs

· Check all handrails

· Have GFCI receptacles in all baths and the kitchen

· Adjust interiors doors and drawers

· Have crawlspace, attic, and electric panel accessible

· Paint all exterior trim

· Check under sinks for leaks

· Clean gutters

· Trim bushes and trees

· Contain all pets — except the fish

And just like getting a car ready to hit the town, these are a few steps that should be taken to assure a good report.

Most of these will be easy fixes. Not only that, but to get the most money of your home and get a sold sign in your yard quickly, they should be done before the property is on the market anyway. Your Realtor will help guide you through the process.

I am not exactly sure if waxing my car each week prevented anything I may have had on my schedule. Most were good things and even the not so good things I may have been involved in, still seemed to me like they had to be accomplished in a clean car, or so I thought. But it did, at the very least, make me feel much better about myself. I can tell you this — it did nothing for law enforcement in what they thought about me.

Long story short, be prepared as you can be. It will save you money and make the closing happen sooner.

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” — Benjamin Franklin

Randy Butler is a lifelong resident of Highland County and a licensed real estate agent for Classic Real Estate in Hillsboro.

Randy Butler Contributing columnist
https://www.timesgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2019/12/web1_Butler-Randy-new-mug.jpgRandy Butler Contributing columnist

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