If you are thinking of selling your home, should you consider getting a home inspection before listing your home?
Yes, you should.
If you are putting your home up for sale, consider getting a pre-listing inspection. There are good benefits from getting your home inspected before you put it on the market. Here’s a list:
Benefit no. 1: You are prepared
Many home sellers wait for buyers to get home inspection and often sit on edge waiting for the results of any flaws the house might spring on them. When you get a home inspection before listing your home, you’ll find any problems in your home and correct them in advance. A pre-listing inspection can also buy you more time to compare prices and treatment options from a variety of contractors and eventually save money. In general, buyers tend to overestimate the costs of repairs and sellers lose far more money than they would have paid to have completed the repairs before listing the home.
Benefit no. 2: Disclosure
If in the pre-listing inspection you found problems in your home but choose not to repair them, be sure to tell your listing agent. They should be disclosed to all potential buyers. Disclosing it up front and indicating that the cost to repair them has been reflected in the price of your home can save you the hassle of negotiations.
Benefit no. 3: You know where you stand
By getting a pre-listing inspection, you’ll know what concessions your buyer might request and you’ll know where you stand. You won’t need to drop your price if a major problem was found after the buyer conducted their own inspection because you have already set your selling price accordingly if you decide not to fix the issues. On the other hand, when you decide to make repairs or upgrades, you can ask buyers for more money.
Benefit no. 4: You prevent potential problem
The last thing that you want is to have the sale of your home cancelled because of an unknown problem uncovered by the buyer’s home inspector. Some buyers will ask sellers to fix the problems found by their inspector, some ask for a price reduction or closing credit, and worst, some even cancel the deal. If you have pre-listing home inspection, this potential problem can be prevented.
Benefit no. 5: Reassure prospective buyers
When you get a home inspection before listing your home, you are giving your prospective buyers peace of mind. Pre-listing inspection assures the buyer that your home is not hiding major problems. They will feel more comfortable placing an offer on your home.
Benefit no. 6: Smoother transaction
Because you have already uncovered problems during a pre-listing inspection, you can either have them fixed before putting your home on the market or choose to disclose the issues to your potential buyers. Whatever you decide to do will make a smoother and efficient transaction because it will prevent long negotiations after the buyer has made an inspection. Because the issues have been uncovered ahead of time, the buyer will not be surprised by anything and will be less likely to walk away or demand a lower price for the home.
What Does a Home Inspector Look For?
When you decide to have a have a pre-listing inspection before you put your home on the market and you are not sure what to expect during the home inspection process. Here’s an overview of what a home inspector will look for in your home.
Conclusion
While the price of a home inspection can cost you a few hundred dollars, it will save you time and money in the long run. Neither you or the buyer will be surprised by unknown problems and it can make the transaction faster and easier.
