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RICHERT FAMILY REAL ESTATEEST. 2004 · eXp REALTY

Under Contract · Seller Guide

Inspection Checklist:
How to Get Ready

The buyer's inspection is one of the biggest milestones between contract and closing. Here is how to prepare the home, what happens that day, and what actually matters in the results.

We see the need because we know the need.

Dave Richert 630.906.7266 dave@richertfamily.com richertfamily.com

A prepared home makes a short inspection list. An hour of prep now can save a week of negotiation later.

Before the Inspector Arrives

1 The Basics

These matter more than anything else on this page

Home in showing condition — clean, tidy, and ready, exactly like a showing.
All utilities on — water, gas, and electric. The inspector cannot test what is not running.
All lights on, including basement, garage, and closets.
Clear access to the attic, electrical panel, furnace, water heater, sump pump, and any crawl space — move stored items out of the way.
Pilot lights lit on the furnace, water heater, and fireplace. Inspectors do not light them.
Dogs and cats out of the home for the appointment. Other pets caged.

From Dave: Plan to be gone. Sellers are not present for the inspection — it typically takes about 3 hours, and the buyer is usually there for part of it.

2 Outside

Walk the exterior once with this list

Doorbells work.
Attic vents and screens are in place and in good condition.
No standing water near the foundation after rain or irrigation.
No signs of pests — check the attic, foundation, and crawl space for nests and activity.
No wood in direct contact with soil, including fences and gates.
No loose wiring (electric, cable, phone) or poor wire terminations.
Siding, doors, windows, and trim are weatherproof — no holes or damage.
Vegetation trimmed back from walkways, siding, roof, chimney, fences, gutters, and utility lines.
No trip hazards in walkways, driveways, or stairways.
Handrails tight at stairways, decks, balconies, and porches.
Landscape lighting and irrigation systems work.
Pool, spa, ponds, and fountains clean and working, with related equipment protected and child-safe.

3 Plumbing

Small fixes here prevent big-sounding report items

No dripping faucets or leaks around fixture bases, and faucet handles stop firmly.
Drains run freely and stoppers work in tubs and sinks.
Toilets sit solid — no rocking bowls, loose tanks, or loose seats.
Caulk and grout in tubs and showers in good condition.
Safe, easy access to water shutoff valves (main, water heater, sinks, toilets).
Safe, easy access to gas shutoff valves (meter, furnace, water heater).

4 Electrical

Inspectors test every accessible outlet and switch

Electrical panel and main breaker are easy to reach.
All outlets and switches work, with no damaged or missing covers.
Replace burned-out bulbs everywhere, including ceiling fans — a dead bulb reads as "possible electrical issue" on a report.
Ceiling fans work on all speeds.
Exhaust fans work in the kitchen, bathrooms, and laundry.
Remove extension cords and outlet multipliers, and unplug anything unnecessary so outlets can be tested.
Every electrical junction box has a cover.

5 Inside

The walkthrough items

Smoke alarms work on every floor, and carbon monoxide alarms work — Illinois requires a CO alarm within 15 feet of every sleeping area.
Doors, drawers, cabinets, and windows open and close easily — nothing nailed or painted shut, hardware and locks work, screens undamaged.
No moisture stains on ceilings or walls, around windows and doors, or near sinks, toilets, tubs, showers, and the dishwasher. If there is an old stain from a fixed problem, tell us — we will get ahead of it.
Kitchen appliances all work, and the range has an anti-tip device installed.
Countertops, towel holders, tissue holders, tubs, showers, and shower doors are solid and in good condition.
Fireplace damper opens and closes easily, with no soot buildup, cobwebs, or wildlife in the chimney.
Filters clean and in place — furnace, range hood, and bathroom fans.
Excess storage thinned out in closets, the attic, and the garage so nothing blocks what the inspector needs to see.

From Dave: You do not have to fix everything on this page before the inspection. Fix what is quick, tell me about what is not, and we will decide together what is worth doing.

6 The Radon Test

Usually placed at the inspection, sits 48–72 hours

Most buyers order a radon test. The device sits in the home for 48 to 72 hours, usually starting at the inspection.
Closed-house conditions apply: all windows and exterior doors stay shut starting 12 hours before the test begins and for its full duration. Normal entry and exit is fine.
Do not run whole-house fans or open windows for airflow during the test. Heating and air conditioning can run normally.
If the result comes back elevated, mitigation is a common, well-understood fix in the Fox Valley — it is a negotiation item, not a deal-breaker.

What Gets Flagged vs. What Gets Fixed

Inspectors note everything they see. A long report is normal — even new-construction homes produce a list.
What is actually negotiable is a much shorter list: safety issues, structural items, mechanical systems (furnace, A/C, water heater), roof, and anything involving water.
Cosmetic wear, minor cracks, and "monitor this" notes are typically not renegotiated. Buyers accepted the home's age and condition when they offered.
When the buyer's request letter arrives, we review every item with you, price out real repair costs with vetted local contractors, and build the response plan before your attorney sends a word.

From Dave: Nothing on an inspection list scares us. When a repair is the right answer, we negotiate from real quotes, not guesses. See the full road map on our Accepted Offer page.

Good to Know

✓Plan for about 3 hours — and be out of the home; the buyer often attends the last part with their inspector

✓The inspection window is short — it matches the 5-business-day attorney review period, so prep before it is scheduled

✓Leave notes where they help — a tagged breaker panel or a note about a quirky lock saves questions on the report

✓Receipts are ammunition — recent furnace service, roof work, or repairs; leave copies on the counter

✓A hired handyman counts — most items on this page are an easy half-day for a general handy-person; we can refer one

✓Call us first — if anything on this list worries you, one call and we will make a plan together

How We Help

The inspection is a team event

Prep walkthrough

Before the inspection is even scheduled, we will walk the home with you and point out what an inspector will see — so nothing on the report is a surprise.

Vetted local referrals

Contractors, plumbers, electricians, and handymen across Aurora, Geneva, Batavia, and the surrounding Fox Valley communities — ready before or after the report.

Response strategy

When the buyer's request letter arrives, we price out every item and build the response plan with you before it goes to your attorney.

Deadline tracking

The inspection clock runs inside attorney review. We track every date so a short window never becomes a lost negotiation.

We see the need because we know the need.

Not sure whether something in your home will come up on the report? Send me a photo. One call and you'll know exactly where things stand.

Dave Richert

630.906.7266
dave@richertfamily.com
richertfamily.com

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Dave Richert · Richert Family Real Estate Team · eXp Realty · 630.906.7266 · dave@richertfamily.com · richertfamily.com

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