Selling a Home
Inspections
are not just for buyers!
The seller can list the house with more confidence as to some
of the concerns they may arise during a home inspection. By
listing various issues the purchaser will be making a more
informed offer on the property and will be less likely to
come back and renegotiate disclosed items. This may also help
any prospective purchasers to feel more at ease as to the
seller's willingness to disclose.
The purchaser will have a better
understanding and education as to the purchase they are about
to make.
The Realtor will be making more
reasonable offers on the property and not taking a property
off of the market only to discover concerns later on dusting
a pre-purchase inspection.
What to expect form all parties;
inspector will make every effort to discover major visible
defects, but different inspectors may have differing opinions
on the properties primary components.
As home inspections become more
frequent and more popular, there is a growing trend towards
the use of pre-listing inspections. In addition to buyers
requesting home inspections to identify potential problems
and to increase peace of mind, some lenders now require home
inspections.Realtors and sellers are recognizing the benefits
of obtaining a pre-listing home inspection in order to identify
and address potential deal-killing problems.
Agents invest a great deal of
time, money, and energy into advertising and showing a home,
and a pre-listing inspection can help insure that a home is
ready to market. Listing agents and sellers are realizing
that a pre-listing inspection is a proactive approach to successfully
marketing, showing, and selling a home. No agent or seller
likes to be in the position to react to negative inspection
findings in a report obtained by a potential buyer. Home inspectors
advise sellers and listing agents to obtain a pre-listing
inspection, and often suggest appropriate courses of action
for preparing the house for sale.
A pre-listing inspection enables
the agent to hang out a "Pre-Inspected Home" sign.
Selling agents find this to be an attraction to prospective
buyers. Why should an agent needlessly invest time and money
only to have the buyer's or lender's inspector discover a
major defect that delays, or at worst, voids the deal?
There are pros and cons to pre-listing inspections of which
all parties should be aware:
Con:
Once the realtor is made aware of a defect, most states' laws
require full disclosure.
Pro:
Inevitably, a good inspection will locate
many major defects (e.g., roof, structure, HVAC, defective
materials such as polybutylene, EIFS and aluminum wiring).
Many of these items may become critical issues, so it is best
to be proactive rather
than reactive.
Inspectors recommend that the
seller or agent take an active stance and identify, and in
some cases, repair items or provide a statement of "proper
operation or certification" by an appropriate contractor.
These steps may ease the anxiety of buying a house with potential
problems. Sellers typically feel more at ease, as everything
is being disclosed. Buyers are comforted knowing that a seller
with a history of taking care of the house is in the scope
of the deal.
Con:
The buyer may decide to get a second inspection which finds
other problems.
Pro:
First, home inspectors find that most buyers accept the original
inspection (if it is a fair and thorough inspection). If another
inspector finds additional concerns, they are typically fewer
and minor. A second inspection often helps to affirm the buyer's
confidence in the condition of the home. Although two inspectors
may view the house differently, in most cases the major concerns
will be identified by both.
More and more sellers are offering
a warranty with the house, and pre-listing inspections are
just the next extension to this process. Inspectors can recommend
that radon, well, and septic inspections be part of the package.
Con:
Many home inspection reports are not legally transferable
documents to a third party.
Pro:
This protects the inspector, as the buyer was not present
for the inspection. This also gives the buyer the full benefits
of the inspection. Home inspectors may offer a discounted
rate to reinspect the house and to provide the buyer with
a report. The trend toward the increased use of pre- listing
inspections is a positive one which benefits agents, sellers,
and buyers. Home inspectors can highlight the benefits of
pre-listing inspections, which only enhances the agent's ability
to create a more desirable sale.
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