10 Ways to Make a Bad First Impression on Inspection Day

It's inspection day! The last last thing you want to do is leave the buyer or their inspector with questions about how the home has been maintained and cared for over the years. It's time to put your home's best 'brick' forward, so here are 10 things you'll definitely want to avoid!

The Top 10 Ways to Make a Bad First Impression on Inspection Day

1. The front door is in need of repair; weather stripping is loose, exposed, or dragging on the floor.
2. The doorbell is not intact and/or does not work.
3. What's that smell?! The house smells musty, moldy, or tired. (Dirty carpet plays a big part in this impression).
4. The home is cluttered! You want the buyers and the inspector to be able to access every area of the home. An obstacle course will not be welcomed with too many smiles.
5. There are water stains at the ceiling, around the windows, within the sink cabinets, or beneath the shower/bath floor areas.
6. Windows are inoperable or do not open and close easily.  (You'll want to address any cracked glass or missing hardware as well).
7. Kitchen appliances not functioning or surface lights and/or fans are inoperable.
8. There are loose, uncovered, or painted electrical outlets and non-working switches and junction boxes.
9. There are no visible smoke and CO detectors. Or, they're not working.
10. There is damaged drywall from door knobs, picture frames, etc.

Maintaining and repairing the above items (and anything else on your to-do list) before the inspection will always be to a seller's advantage. And who doesn't want to make a great first impression on buyers during the selling process anyway? But do remember, please call in a professional when necessary. A repair done improperly could end up being more of a headache than the original condition!