How do I prepare for a home inspection as a seller?
Quick answer: Make sure the inspector can access everything — the panel, furnace, water heater, attic and crawlspace — replace burned-out bulbs and dead smoke-alarm batteries, clear stored items from key areas, and ensure all utilities are on.
Access is everything: anything the inspector can't reach gets reported as 'not inspected,' which raises buyer questions. Clear the path to the electrical panel, mechanicals and attic/crawlspace hatches.
Handle the easy items in advance — bulbs, batteries, dripping faucets, missing outlet covers — so the report isn't cluttered with small, fixable findings.
A pre-listing inspection is the strongest preparation of all, because it lets you address real issues before the buyer's inspector ever arrives.
