Minor Home Inspection Issues

Here are a few observations on minor home inspection issues we have encountered in our thorough McKinney home inspections that could be beneficial to your clients — both buyers and sellers. Generally these involve minor items that do not rise to the level of a Deficiency or Potential Issue we document in our Inspection Reports; but they can have a significant impact on the appeal and perceived value of the property. Please feel free to share these with your clients. — Mike Martin, TREC-Certified Home Inspector — Advanced Inspection Services.

Landscaping and Home Exterior — These are the first things a prospective buyer sees; and the initial ‘curb appeal’ can make a big difference. We see quite a few homes with weeds in flower beds or dead spots in the lawn. Also some with peeling paint, damaged fences, unappealing trim or door colors. Don’t let these problems spoil a sale or reduce the perceived value. A significant percentage of houses are rejected by prospective buyers before they get out of the car!

Neglected Maintenance — When people are viewing a home, they notice doors or windows that are difficult to open, leaky faucets, worn rugs, dirty HVAC filters or dead light bulbs. These are not dangerous or serious defects; but they give the impression the home has not been well maintained. Buyers are likely to wonder what else has been neglected. The sad thing is — these issues are easy and inexpensive to remedy.

Clutter — We all accumulate things we enjoy in our homes: furniture, family photos, awards, knickknacks and decorations. Not to mention the tools, notepads, magazines and other things we like to keep handy. They don’t seem obtrusive to us; but over the years a lot of clutter can build up.  This can be very distracting to a potential buyer — and make the rooms, storage and counter space seem crowded and less spacious.