So, the time has finally come for you to move on to new pastures and place your house on the market. Selling a property is a pretty big step, and it’s certainly not one that should be taken lightly. It requires a great deal of hard work, research, and inevitably some spending too. Before your house sells, it must ensure that it does not fail a home inspection.
We understand that no home is ever perfect, but if you want to maximize your chances of making a sale and getting a fair price for your home, you must first familiarize yourself with the things that fail a home inspection. That’s why it’s vital to recognize the home inspection red flags you’re likely to encounter.
Whether it’s a leaking roof, rats in the cellar, or a cracked foundation, here are the most common things that fail a home inspection.
Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Issues
Regardless of which state your home is located in, one of the most common home inspection issues that could result in a home inspection fail is issues with your HVAC.
If your home’s AC unit is having issues, or if your furnace is showing the ill-effects of aging with visible wear and tear, it’s worth having these issues remedied before you list your home for sale. If you don’t, when the home inspector does arrive to carry out their inspection, they’ll inspect your HVAC system and if there are issues, this will result in a fail.
When running through a home inspection checklist, the HVAC system is one of the first things you should prioritize. Whether this means a new furnace, a new AC unit, or having your ducts professionally cleaned, make sure your HVAC system is well maintained and in full working order.
Mold Inspection Fail
When talking about home inspection problems, few things are more likely to result in a home inspection failure than mold issues.
Mold is not only unsightly, but more seriously than that, it’s a very significant health hazard. Mold is one of the largest home inspection red flags and is something that should be taken care of before you put your house on the market.
We understand that some buyers may choose to pay for home inspection repairs if they really want the house, but generally you’re more likely to sell your home if you take care of any damp or mold problems first.
Your home inspector will carry out an inspection of your home and will use tools and equipment such as infrared cameras and moisture readers, along with their eyes and nose, to look for visible signs of mold. Because of this, you can’t just expect to paint over mold and hope to get away with it. The problem should be taken care of professionally.
Pest Infestations Fail
As far as things that fail a home inspection go, pest infestations are certainly up there.
It doesn’t matter whether it’s mice, rats, termites, woodworm, fleas, bedbugs, wasps, or any other type of pest, if your home is infested, or is showing signs of infestation, this will show up on a home inspection checklist, and will need to be resolved as soon as you can.
Home inspectors know what to look out for, so if there is a pest problem, or has been a pest problem, it’s always worth hiring professional pest controllers before the inspection, for peace of mind if nothing else.
General Wear and Tear Inspection Fail
Before putting their homes on the market, a lot of sellers don’t tend to bother with general wear and tear, as their reasoning is that they won’t be living in the house for much longer anyways. For potential buyers and home inspectors, though, wear and tear is another home inspection red flag that will need rectifying.
If the house has peeling paint, chipped wood, holes in the wall, and other seemingly minor issues, this can put buyers off. A poorly maintained house may give the impression that the owner doesn’t care about the home, and if they can’t be bothered to maintain the house, why should they be bothered to maintain more important elements of the home such as the plumbing, electrics, HVAC etc?
While minor cosmetic issues are not generally seen as things that fail a home inspection, it is worth tidying up your home before the home inspector arrives to carry out an inspection.
Building Code Violations
When filling out a home inspection report, building code violations are considered some of the biggest home inspection red flags in existence, and are guaranteed to result in a home inspection failure.
Building and housing code violations are more common than a lot of people realize, which is why it’s important to know the building rules and regs for your particular state.
Any works that have been carried out on your home must have been carried out to code. If not, this is illegal and will result in an instant failure. Again, as far as things that fail a home inspection go, building and housing code violations are prime examples.
Your home inspector will examine any works that have been carried out on your home and will look for signs of poor or incorrect construction. If any are flagged up, they must be rectified before you can put your home on the market.
Roof Problems
Whether it’s a leaking roof, loose shingles, signs of rot, wind damage, or anything else, if the roof on your home is damaged, your home inspector will flag this up in their home inspection report and the house will fail.
Not only are roofing issues perfect examples of things that fail a home inspection, but they’re also things that will put potential buyers off. Repairing a roof, or replacing it entirely, is not a quick or easy fix, nor is it cheap.
If you’re putting your home on the market, make sure you take care of any roof problems before the home inspection, otherwise you’re setting yourself up for more work, and more expense.
