Selling Your Home: What to Repair BEFORE the Home Inspection

In my experience as a real estate agent, the rockiest part of a residential purchase transaction is the HOME INSPECTION. I’ve been to a ton of inspections and the same items come up over and over again. Unfortunately, because it states in the California Residential Purchase Agreement (RPA) on Page 4, Number 9. that the “CONDITION OF PROPERTY: Unless otherwise agreed: (i) the Property is sold (a) in its PRESENT physical (“as-is”) condition as of the date of Acceptance,” buyers don’t often realize this, and once they learn of the condition of the home, they ask for everything to be fixed. This causes feelings to get hurt, deals to crumble and many times by the end of the escrow period, the buyer and seller hating eachother.
The best advice I can give is this: SELLERS: Take the time to fix the obvious things BEFORE you put your home on the market. Repairing visible leaks, rust and damaged pipes is such an easy thing to do, but can become such a difficult thing to do once it’s noted in an inspection. A little time and money taking care of the things I mention below will go a LONG WAY. BUYERS, take a good, hard look at the home you are purchasing and know what you are getting into. You agree in your purchase contract to purchase the home “as-is”, so don’t be unrealistic in your request for repairs. – especially in a ‘seller’s market’.
ELECTRICAL:

1. Install GFCI outlets near areas with water – bathrooms, garage & laundry (the home may have been built before this code was enforced, but it’s a cheap fix and worth the money)
2. Plugs & switches properly grounded and in working order, no broken cover plates
3. All bulbs working
4. No visible chords on permanent fixtures (i.e. kitchen hood, ceiling fans, etc.)

5. Electrical panel labeled, properly grounded & all empty slots fitted with panel knockouts
GARAGE:
1. Door from house to garage needs to be solid wood, fire-rated with a self-closing hinge
2. Automatic garage door opener should trip when obstructed, run quiet & smooth and have no extension chords in place of junction box
3. Remove/replace all other extension chords with junction boxes
4. Clear away obstructions to vents and repair screens
WATER HEATER:
1. Strap water heater to the wall and fill space between wall and heater with a wooden block
2. Install drip pan underneath the unit
3. Run a safety valve from top of heater to a safe location outside

4. Clean all pipes going into the unit and remove rust and patina. If you suspect a leak, have it looked at
FURNACE:
1. Replace filter, clean/vacuum entire area, if there are water stains on walls around the unit, fix any leaks and paint over stains
2. Pipe into the furnace should be hard wire, not flexible
3. If exhaust duct is wrapped in asbestos, make sure it is in tact, and if not, have it looked at by a professional and possibly removed
WATER AREAS:
1. Check all areas of interior for leak stains – especially on ceilings and in closets and garage. If you find any, repair the leaks and paint over the stains (be sure to disclose the repaired leaks in your disclosures!)
2. Clean/bleach/dry out any moldy areas, repair any cabinets damaged from water

3. Replace faulty/old angle stops with quarter turn ball valves
4. Make sure water pressure is strong and sinks drain quickly
5. Tubs & shower pans should be spot-free and all caulking in-tact
6. Shower doors should open & close smoothly with all hardware in-tact
7. Toilets should be tight to the ground with newer, working angle-stops (quarter turn ball valve), anti-siphon valve at all hose bibs
8. Replace cracked & worn water hose at washing machine hookups

9. Install shut-off valves on exterior water pipes
ATTIC:
1. Remove asbestos from any ducting if it has ever been moved or altered
2. Clear all vents to the exterior and repair damaged screens

3. Check that exhaust fans, pipes and vents don’t terminate in the attic, but exit through the roof and are in tact and properly sealed
SMOKE & CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS:
1. Homes built prior to Aug. 14, 1992 require a smoke detector be installed in a central location outside of bedroom areas on each floor of dwelling. Homes built or remodeled after Aug. 14, 1992 also require smoke detectors in each bedroom. Make sure batteries are new and test detectors to make sure they are in working order.
2. Carbon monoxide detectors must be installed near sleeping areas
FIREPLACE:
1. Clean & install a fireplace spacer clamp (a few bucks at your local hardware store, but always come up in inspections)

2. Seal cracks on the exterior of the fireplace and install a spark arrestor
WINDOWS & DOORS:
1. Clean and make sure windows are not cracked and that they open, close & lock properly
2. Replace worn out screens
3. Make sure all door locks work and that you have all the keys
EXTERIOR:
1. Rain gutters should be free from debris and in-tact or removed completely,
2. Sprinklers & drains should be working
3. Make sure gates open and close with easy access to yard
It’s a lot cheaper to pay a handyman or tradesman to fix the problem items in your home, rather than gambling that a finicky buyer will request you to hire a licensed professional to complete the work at a much higher cost. Some inspectors offer a “pre-inspection” at a discounted rate that might be worth checking into. But word of warning; don’t file a homeowner’s claim against your insurance to take care of any of the work on your home, as you are only supposed to file 2 claims in the past 3 years in order for the new buyer to be able to get insurance on your home for their loan!