Make sure keys for all doors and gates are available to the inspector.
Make sure that all domestic animals are secured.
Change or clean any dirty heating and cooling filters.
Clean kitchen range exhaust filter if there is a greasy build up.
Return windows that have been painted shut to regular operation. A pizza cutter or utility knife will help.
Replace any missing switch or receptacle covers.
Clean gutters and down spouts.
Keep foundation vents open, except in frigid weather.
Have your HVAC control system serviced if it has been over a year since the last service.
Clean the House: This sounds so simple yet home owners often overlook this tactic. Home inspectors are people first and inspectors second. As people, they carry preconceived ideas of how well a home has been maintained. Clean homes say you care and take care of the house.
Be On Time Because the Inspector Will Be: Sometimes home inspectors are early. If an inspector makes an appointment with you for 9:00 a.m., have the house ready for inspection at 8:30. It's also common for inspectors to start on the exterior of the home, so leave the shades down or drapes drawn until you are dressed. More than one unprepared seller has been "surprised" by a stranger stomping around in the back yard.
Leave the Utilities Connected: Confirm that all utilities are on and pilot flames are ignited. The home inspector will need to turn on the stove, run the dishwasher, test the furnace and air conditioning, so leave the utilities on, especially if the house is vacant. It's impossible to check receptacles for grounding and reverse polarity if the power is turned off. Without utilities, the inspector will have to reschedule, which could delay the closing of your transaction and the removal of the buyer's home inspection contingency.
Provide Workspace around Furnace and Water Heaters: Remove boxes, bookcases, furniture and anything else blocking access to your furnace, air conditioner and water heater. The inspector will need three to four feet of working space to inspect these items.
Keep Pilot Lights Ignited: Many home inspectors will refuse to light pilot lights because they are not covered for that type of liability. If your pilot lights are not lit, then important items such as the water heater, gas stove or furnace will not be inspected and the buyer could delay closing until those inspections are completed.
Provide Access to Attic and Garage: The inspector will need to get into your basement and/or attic as well, so keep a path cleared. Move boxes away from the walls. Vacuum spider webs. Boxes piled in from of an area are a red flag for “something is wrong here.”
Leave Keys for any Locked Utility Boxes: Leave the remote controls for your garage door opener or a key if the garage is unattached to the house. Unlock the covers for your sprinkler system and electrical box. Leave a key for exterior building access.
Clear Away Brush from Exterior Inspection Points: Nobody expects you to shovel a tunnel around your home if snow drifts are blocking the foundation but, in the winter, do provide a path around the house. Trim back any tree limbs or shrubbery that may be touching the roof or the house, these provide excellent highways for potential insect or rodent infestations. Move trash cans away from the house.
Provide Repair Documents: Make available to the home inspector all invoices and documents regarding remodeling projects or new items such as a roof or furnace. If you've upgraded the electrical from ungrounded to grounded, installed a new dishwasher or repaired a leaky faucet, find the paperwork. It will give the buyer peace of mind to know those items were re-inspected.
Prepare to be Away for about Three Hours: Often the buyer will accompany the home inspector, and buyers feel uncomfortable asking questions if the owner is present. Try to schedule a time for the inspection when you can be out of the house, and take the children with you. Crate your pets if you cannot remove them from the premises.