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valkyrie4791

handling minor repairs/inspections

valkyrie4791
13 years ago

Now that I'm feeling somewhat confident about an offer on our home, I am wondering about the inspection process. I know of a few things in my house that the inspector will flag. For instance, there aren't enough smoke detectors and I'm not sure they all work properly. I have a light fixture that needs to be replaced. I need to patch some grout. Little things like that. Should I go ahead and get that stuff done and try to beat the inspection or should I just let the inspector do his job and then go from there?

Comments (8)

  • maurenemm
    13 years ago

    In selling my house, I'm trying to fix most of what I think will be noted by a home inspector. My priority is on things potential buyers are mostly likely to notice themselves. A whole lot of "little things" can deter buyer, I think. Or you might think about what you would request a seller fix if you were the buyer.

    None of your little things sound like deal breakers. Of what you listed the grout and light fixture seem like things you might want to do now.

  • terezosa / terriks
    13 years ago

    I would try to fix the things that you know about. In fact, I would do them before I listed. Like maureen said, you don't want the report to come back with so many little things that the buyer starts to question the deal (even though none of what you describe sound like deal breakers). You don't want to do anything to dissuade someone who is wavering from completing the deal!

  • lesterd
    13 years ago

    I'd have all those repairs completed before the inspector shows up...as others have said.

  • badgergrrl
    13 years ago

    Yes, all those little things may make a buyer think, "Well, if they've neglected the little things, have they taken care of the big things?" (Even if the inspection report doesn't show them.)
    Based on your list sounds like stuff you could bang out in a Saturday or take a day of vacation and just get them done.

  • gardenspice
    13 years ago

    Have you been sleeping in a house without enough/functional smoke detectors? I'd be driving over to the hardware store now.
    While you are there you can pick up the light fixture and some grout.

  • LoveInTheHouse
    13 years ago

    I fix every single thing I possibly can. There is nothing more we can do here other than remodeling the whole thing. I don't want to give the inspector any kind of red flags that this place is not in tip-top condition. I want him to know that we take care of it and perhaps he will relax and won't look for silly things to nitpick. What I want to know is, why don't we do these things when we're actually staying at a place? Because it is so great now. For someone else! lol

  • lazy_gardens
    13 years ago

    I have a light fixture that needs to be replaced. I need to patch some grout. Little things like that.

    Fix them and anything else that is broken, clean anything that is not spotless.

    If I were buying in this market and saw a bunch of neglected minor repairs, it wouldn't get to the home inspection point.

  • OttawaGardener
    13 years ago

    "If I were buying in this market and saw a bunch of neglected minor repairs, it wouldn't get to the home inspection point."

    ... my thoughts exactly.