After the negotiations are completed on the purchase of your home, the buyers will conduct a thorough building inspection of the premises at their expense. A number of homeowners tend to get a bit nervous about this, and think that they should "prep" their home for the inspector. There's no need to get nervous, and no need to prep your home for an inspection.
A couple of things that you should do are-
*Make sure that the inspector can get to your electrical panel, your boiler (or furnace) and hot water heater, and that access to these crucial components to your home is not blocked.
*Close all the windows 48 hours to the inspection if the buyers are planning on doing a radon test.
*If you have any manuals on any appliances, heating and cooling system, or home accessories that are to be included in the sale, leave those out.
*If you have had a contractor perform any work, now is a good time to put those permits and receipts in a file, (not necessarily in open view) for future reference, and to have it ready for the closing.
*Last but not least, you are not expected to be there, and it's probably a good idea to scoot if you were going to be home. Inspections last anywhere from about 2-4 hours depending on the size of the home.
When I represent buyers in a purchase, I attend the building inspection and stay for the duration. Not all agents do, so make sure you tell your agent to let the buyers agent know they are expected to remain for the entire inspection, and lock up the house afterwards.
When I represent sellers, I make the buyers agent aware that they are expected to do just that, and that I may stop by just to say hello. Do not insist that your listing agent be present during the inspection. It only seems like eavesdropping on your part, and does not afford the buyers agent and buyer the privacy to discuss whatever might come up. I will, however, drop by about an hour or so after the inspection has started to offer a friendly hello to the buyer and agent , and get an idea of how things are going. Most often, if there are big issues, you will know right away.
Just relax and let your agent handle the rest.... Your agent? That's me!