Are you considering putting your home on the market this spring or summer? If so, you probably have a list of things to do to get it ready. One step home sellers should add to the to-do list is to order an inspection before listing the home for sale. To find out why this is an important step in the process, read this article about the benefits of a pre-listing home inspection.
1. Eliminate Surprises
Even though you may have lived in your home for many years and think you know everything about it, when a trained professional home inspector inspects the home, they’ll likely discover some items that require attention. It’s best to have this information before the home is listed than to have it come up as a surprise in the buyer’s home inspection. Avoiding an unexpected diagnosis at a critical time in the transaction is just one of the benefits of a pre-listing home inspection.
2. Have Enough Time to Perform Repairs
Once you have received the inspection report from the pre-listing home inspection, you can decide if it is best to hire someone to fix the problem, fix the problem yourself, or leave the problem as-is and disclose it to the buyer. If you want to repair the issue, you can save money by either fixing it yourself or getting multiple estimates from professionals and choosing the most cost-effective option.
The alternative is that the buyer requests that the problem to be fixed before closing and he or she may even insist on using a certain professional. This takes control out of your hands and into the buyer’s. Another one of the benefits of a pre-listing home inspection is that it allows you to repair items your way and on your time. The goal is for the issue to never come up in the buyer’s inspection report.
3. Increase Buyer Confidence
If you have a pre-listing home inspection report that shows that the house is in great condition, showing this to the buyer can increase their confidence in the home and encourage them to place a higher offer sooner. They will probably still order their own inspection but are likely to be less skeptical throughout the process since a report was disclosed upfront.
4. Smooth Out Negotiations
When surprises don’t come up in the buyer’s inspection report, the buyer has less ammunition to negotiate with. If there is no reason for the buyer to request a lower price or require work to be done before closing, your process will go smoother and faster. A pre-listing home inspection can take the stress out of closing by reducing buyer negotiations.
The Benefits of a Pre-Listing Home Inspection Outweigh the Cost
If you are thinking about selling your home, ordering a pre-listing home inspection is a great way to get started on the right foot. The benefits of a pre-listing home inspection will affect the entire transaction, from the first showing to the closing date.
All Pro Property Inspections serves the Greater San Diego area with pre-listing home inspections and other inspection services. Contact us to schedule an inspection.