Home Inspections: Not Just for Buyers!

Home and Pest Inspections-Not Just For Buyers Anymore

You have decided to sell your home, whatever the reason or motivation. You hire a real estate agent and in this hot market your agent recommends getting a home and pest inspection prior to putting your home on the market. Why? Isn’t that something a buyer is going to do anyways? Why should you spend the money up front?

All good questions with all good answers. The answer really lies in how prepared and further ahead of your competition you want to be. Even with a newer home, things will start to fall apart or get damaged and you may or may not even realize they have occurred. With an older home, it is almost a guarantee that things will need some level of repair or are now not to code or current building standards. A typical home inspection will list items as follows: safety observations, items needing attention and items needing maintenance. Addressing the safety items is very important where the other two are a good idea to address and certainly will make your home more marketable.

Below is a list of the pros and cons of getting inspections (and making necessary repairs) prior to going on the market.

A home and pest inspection will locate and identify issues so that they can be addressed prior to going on the market. In real estate transactions, sometimes the little things can make all the difference in a buyer’s decision. When you can show the inspections and the evidence of repair, it not only makes your house look more desirable, but it sends a message to the buyer that you are a proactive and attentive seller. Buyers will have more confidence in your home if safety items are in place. Being able to see an inspection and know what has been repaired ahead of their offer can attract the more serious buyers. Often times I am asked to forward the home and pest inspections from a selling agent prior to their clients making an offer. Additionally, there will be less to haggle over in a request for repairs which takes a burden off you as a seller and the buyer as well. Essentially, no big surprises.

Inspections do have an upfront cost as do the repairs you decide to make. Consulting with an experienced real estate professional can help you decide what repairs will make your home more marketable and certainly the ones which will be asked for by a buyer. Real Estate is its own little war. Make sure you are prepared and it will lessen your chance of defeat and help you gain a victory.