“Seller shall make the property available for all buyer investigations. Seller shall have water,
gas, electricity and all operable pilot lights on for Buyer’s investigations and through the
date possession is made available to Buyer.” (Excerpt from: Paragraph 9B of the California
Association of Realtors® California Residential Purchase Agreement)
Having everything ready for the inspection can prevent unnecessary
delays. For liability reasons home inspectors do not move personal
belongings. Most home inspectors will charge an additional fee if
they must return to the property to inspect item which were not
accessible.
The seller should verify that:
All utilities are on
Pilot lights are lit (The gas provider will usually light pilots at no cost to the owner)
Attic access is clear of clothing or stored items
Crawl space entrances are not blocked or nailed in place
Water heaters are accessible
Furnaces are accessible
Sinks, showers and bathtubs are clear of dishes or personal items
Built-in appliances are free of stored items and can be operated
Electrical panels are accessible and not locked (Electrical sub-panels inside the home
are often painted and removing the cover will mar the finish. The seller’s agent should
ask the seller to grant permission to the inspector to remove the panel cover to look
for life/safety issues)
Areas or items to be inspected are freely accessible
Pets are secured (Unsecured animals should be removed from the property or secured
in an area that will not need to be inspected if the seller [or occupant] will not be
present)
California Real Estate Inspection Association
The Source for Real Estate Inspection Professionals in California
w w w . C R E I A . o r g
