If you have owned your home for a long time you could employ the services of a Qualified Home Inspector to inspect your home and recommend preventative measures which might avoid costly future repairs. Or ,if you are planning a move, you may opt to get an inspection prior to placing your home on the market, to gain better understanding of conditions which a buyer's inspector may point out. This provides you with an opportunity to make repairs that will put your house in better condition for a quick and smooth sale or for your own piece of mind. When a Buyer knows ahead of time about the condition and deficiencies of the house, he can then bid accordingly with confidence that the home he is buying meets his expectations. Often, when a Buyer has his own inspection after making his Offer to Purchase, he may try and renegotiate his Offer price after walking through the house with his home inspector and seeing all the little things that may be safety concerns or learning of items that require immediate repair or replacement. This is avoidable if you follow these suggestions to help get your home ready for the sale, or for inspection by the Buyers home inspector. Ensure pets won't hinder the home inspection. Replace any burned out light bulbs. Test all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Clean or replace dirty air filters. Move wood, stored items or debris away from foundation. Unlock or remove locks from any items the inspector must access. Confirm the attic hatch or crawl space are accessible by removing items blocking the access. Trim tree limbs / shrubs from the roof & away from house. Repair or replace broken, damaged, missing items. Confirm gas, water and electricity are turned on and gas pilots are burning. * Many homes require an inspection of their electrical panels, woodstoves, furnaces and main sewer line. Having a professional tradesman thoroughly check and repair/clean or certify these particular items will greatly reduce the risk of an Offer falling apart after a Home Inspection. 'An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of TYLENOL' Part of this article was written by David Lereah, NAR's chief economist.