You have heard the horror stories. A friend buys a home that is now literally crumbling around her. Somebody took shortcuts, and her home was not inspected before she bought it. Now she is stuck and can not do anything about it. A home inspection before the sale would have made the deal honest and prevented headaches and heartache later for this friend and concerned family members.
These days it is tempting to cut corners, usually with the idea of saving money. However, a home inspection is a worthwhile investment. If you are planning to sell a home, an inspection can identify problems in the making and suggest preventive measures that might help avoid costly future repairs. A home inspection gives you the opportunity to make any necessary repairs now that will put the house in better selling condition. In the real estate market today, having your home pre-inspected can be a great selling point.
Plus, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you are doing the right thing for the people who will be buying the home. It means a lot for them to know they can count on their new home to be a place they are proud to live in with few hassles. It also protects you from possible problems.
Keep in mind that the home you are selling must signal to prospective buyers that there is nothing to fear by checking out this home. They need assurance the home is in good condition, or even better than that. If your home is listed online, make sure there is a link to click so the buyer can view the inspection for himself.
Put yourself in the shoes of a real estate agent for a minute. You are looking for a suitable home for a client. What would you look for? Would you want to see a home that stands out from the hundreds of others out there? Would you want that buyer to know they can investigate and buy that home with confidence? A home inspection helps give that assurance. It will be easier to sell the home to your client if one of the most difficult steps is already out of the way. Barring unforeseen problems, such as with financing, your job of finding a home for your client is that much easier.
As the home seller, you need to take control of the situation proactively. When a buyer comes along with a home inspector, they may be looking to cut costs. If they are not happy with the condition of the house, they may ask for repairs at an inflated price or terminate the contract altogether. The bottom line – they decide not to buy the house. You may not get a second chance with that buyer. You are left with the house still on the market and with the task of making things right before you can sell to the next prospective buyer. That person will not want any surprise defects to contend with either.
It can be disappointing for you if an inspection finds serious problems. However, dealing with things right away means less chance of alarm or regret on the part of the buyer as well as less chance of a deal going sour. You will make the home even easier to sell by having it inspected again after repairs have been done. Then make the revised report available with the listing. This should make the deal go smoothly.
Here is another helpful tip to seal a deal. Have the inspector print out several copies of the inspection report for you so prospective buyers can take one when they tour the home. Allowing buyers to take a copy of the report keeps your home in their minds that much longer. Your inspector shouldn’t mind printing copies of his report because his name and report are being carried around for the other buyers who did not purchase your home but may call him for their own inspections.
To summarize, many sellers are having a home inspection done at the time of their listing in order to repair or determine the condition of their home. If you do this, you can use the inspection as a sales tool. A seller’s inspection will virtually eliminate all the hassles and blown deals that inspections might cause when the buyer brings in their inspector. It gives leverage back to you, the seller. Most importantly, a seller’s home inspection is the ultimate gesture of full disclosure and will help protect you.
Don’t hesitate on investing in a good certified home inspector.