Pre-Listing Inspections can save you money and stress.
Why a Pre-Listing inspections? As the seller, many people think that only the home buyer has a home inspection upon buying the home. However, the seller can benefit from a pre-listing inspection because it avoids unnecessary problems down the road. If you’re selling your home, consider getting pre-listing home inspection services.Eventually, your buyers are going to conduct an inspection. You may as well know what they are going to find by getting there first.
A Pre-Listing Inspection is a home inspection that is performed by the current owner before they list their property. Essentially, a Seller hires and pays for a professional home inspector to provide a written report of the condition of their house (inside and outside) and then makes the report available to potential Buyers.
Selling a home has changed with bidding wars and lots of competition, this makes it more important to have a well-prepared house. A pre-listing inspection can help sell your home faster and for more money while removing liability from you. A detailed home inspection report will increase confidence for the potential buyers and reduce the possibility of last minute negotiations or surprises.
Don’t Lose that Deal !
Home inspections, performed as a condition of the offer, can kill deals. Sometimes this is because the purchaser gets cold feet; sometimes there’s a big problem no one knew about. Sometimes it is because the house has been misrepresented; sometimes it is because the home inspector scared the purchasers by not explaining that minor and typical problems are just that – minor and typical. If the home inspection is performed prior to the house being listed, all parties will be aware of the physical condition of the house before an offer is drawn. There will be no surprises after the fact. Deals will not fall through.
Pre-inspected Listings Avoid Renegotiation
In a buyers’ market, most houses have to be sold twice. It takes a lot of work to get a signed Agreement of Purchase and Sale. Then the home inspection is done and the purchaser wants to renegotiate. If all parties know the condition of the house prior to the offer, there is no need for renegotiation. As most real estate agents know, renegotiation is very difficult. Vendors have already mentally sold the house; purchasers are suffering buyers’ remorse. Egos, pride and frustration can muddy the already emotional waters. A vendor who pays for a home inspection will be further ahead than one who has to renegotiate. He or she may even sell the house faster.
Having an inspection performed ahead of time helps in many other ways, such as:
- Allows you to see your home through the eyes of a critical and neutral third party.
- Alerts you to immediate safety issues before agents and visitors tour your home.M
- May alert you to items of immediate concern, such as radon gas or active termite infestation.p
- Permits you to make repairs ahead of time so that …Defects won’t become negotiating stumbling blocks later.N
- No delay in obtaining the Use and Occupancy Permit.
- You have the time to get reasonably priced contractors or make the repairs yourself, if qualified.
- It helps you to price your home realistically.
- It may relieve prospects’ concerns and suspicions.
- It may encourage the buyer to waive his inspection contingency.
- It reduces your liability by adding professional supporting documentation to your disclosure statement.
Ensure your Home Inspector is a Trained Professional. I recently completed a Home Inspection where the property had a sign indicating a Pre-Listing inspection was performed. Some of the items he missed were: Asbestos on the heating ducts, Cheater Vent used in bathroom and he could not find the main water shut off.
Caveat Emptor – Buyer Beware An educated consumer is a Smart Consumer.
Moving to a new home can be very stressful. Read our Moving Tips Article for some tips on reducing the stress.
Most home buyers will also want a WETT Certified Inspection of Fireplaces, Wood Stove or Pellet stove prior to purchasing. As part of Pre-Listing Inspection you can have your Wood Burning appliances inspected for only $7.00 as part of your Inspection Package.