Tips for the seller before a home inspection.
Here are some simple things that your seller can do to ensure that they have as clean an inspection report as possible. The items below, if not fixed, can slow down an inspection, and give cause to the inspector to dig even deeper. Complete the list, and have peace of mind during the inspection.
- Ensure all of the utilities are on and in working condition. Especially if you have already moved out, and may have turned some of the utilities off to save on money. Make sure that the water, electricity and gas services are on, as well as the gas pilot lights are lit.
- Make sure that your pets won’t get in the way of the inspector. If possible, your pets should be removed from the premises or kept outside in a secured area. Let your agent and/or the inspector know if there will be pets on the premises during the inspection.
- Ensure that all light bulbs are in working order. This will avoid a comment on the report, which others may interpret as a more serious electrical problem.
- Similarly, test your GFCI circuits to ensure proper operation. Replace any units that are not working. This again will avoid an inoperable comment on the report, and avoid any concern about the electrical system.
- Check your air filters and clean or replace any dirty filters. Make sure that the filters are properly sized and fit securely.
- Remove any stored items away from your foundation, particularly wood. These may be cause for concern that conditions are conducive for wood destroying insects, and cited in the inspection report.
- Make sure that access to all areas to be inspected is clear. Particularly access to HVAC equipment, electric service panels, water heaters, attics and crawl spaces, should be clear.
- Along the same lines, make sure that all doors requiring access are unlocked; particularly attic doors or hatches, electric service panels, closets, fence gates and crawl spaces.
- Make sure trees and shrubs are not preventing access to the foundation, roof, etc. Trim tree limbs to ensure about 10 feet of margin from the roof. Cut back the shrubs from the house for easy access to view the foundation.
- Replace any broken or missing items like doorknobs, locks and latches; windowpanes, screens and locks. Do the same for external items such as gutters, downspouts and chimney caps. These will end up on the report if not taken care of, and gives the impression of a house that hasn’t been attended to.
Need A Quick Recipe For Tonight? (This has become a recent favorite for our family.)
Hummus-Crusted Chicken
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 Zucchini, Chopped
- 1 Yellow Squash, Chopped
- 1 Medium Onion, Chopped
- 1 Cup or 8oz. of Hummus, Homemade or Store-bought
- 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil
- 2 Lemons (you can just use lemon juice)
- 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika or sumac
Method
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Prepare one large baking dish with cooking spray.
- Season the chicken breasts with generous pinches of salt and pepper. In a large bowl, toss the zucchini, squash, and onion with olive oil until evenly coated. Season with salt and pepper.
- Place all the vegetables on the bottom of the dish in an even layer. Lay the four chicken breasts evenly on top, then cover each chicken with the hummus so that the entire breast is covered. Squeeze the juice of one lemon over the chicken and vegetables. Then sprinkle the pan with smoked paprika or sumac. Thinly slice the remaining lemon, and place the slices in between the chicken and vegetables if desired.
- Bake for about 25-30 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. Serve immediately.
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