A home inspection is often one of the most stressful parts of the sale of a home. If you are thinking of selling your home, you may think it is in great condition, but an inspection may not paint such a pretty picture.
The sale of a house is an objective undertaking . As a seller you have to be ready to see the good and the bad in the house you call home. By having a pre-sale home inspection you are taking the first step toward preparing yourself for this very important undertaking and insuring its success.
Here are 3 reasons why you should have a home inspection before listing your house for sale. :
- Inspire Confidence in Buyers. When a seller is forthcoming with the buyer about the results of the inspection it is a gesture of good faith. It sets the seller apart from other sellers that may not be so forthcoming. It inspires trust, and makes buyers feel confident about a seller’s property. It gives them a preview of what to expect when they have their inspection done thereby minimizing the stress.
“People that have nothing to hide, hide nothing”.
- Minimize Stress. The sale of a home is stressful for both the seller and the buyer. Having a home inspection done before listing the property for sale can minimize the stress of the sales process for both parties.
Avoid being blindsided by a buyer’s inspection, do your own inspection so you know what to expect. As the seller there are probably few things that are worse than find out that you have a leak or faulty wiring during a home inspection. These are the types of things that kill deals. But these are also the types of things that can be avoided with a pre-listing inspection. So for the seller particularly, a pre-listing home inspection is like a guarantee they know they will not be blindsided during the sale and then asked for money during the negotiation.
- It Will Make The House Look Great. A home inspection costs in the ballpark of $300 and upward depending on the size of the house. If a seller discovers things during a home inspection that require repair they can remediate those repairs before the buyer’s inspection. The fact that little things such as light switches, door knobs, loose electrical plates are all as they should be makes the house look like it has been well-maintained throughout the years.
As for bigger items, the inspection gives the seller the opportunity to address and remediate those items at their own discretion. Once a buyer is involved they can make demands that are over and above what has to be done or back out of the deal completely if they don’t like the way the seller repaired something. A seller can avoid this happening by just having the inspection done.
Disclose, disclose, disclose!
If you are a seller, cover yourself legally by disclosing everything on the Seller’s Disclosure form. It is important that you are transparent about the material facts of the house so that you do not find yourself in a legal bind down the road – disclose, disclose, disclose!
Choosing an Inspector
There are many home inspectors and home inspection companies here in Florida. They all appear to offer the same services, but they are not all the same. I suggest comparing and contrast companies and choosing one that will offer the highest cost to benefit for the money.
Shawn Rossbach from Max Home Inspections in a recent interview noted that in “…Florida home inspectors are pretty much not responsible for anything. So what you want to look for is a home inspector that has warranties to protect you the agent and the buyer after the inspection is completed. Also, an inspector that goes above the standard operating procedure (SOP), for instance, testing the ice maker or even making sure there are not Recalls on appliances”.
Just do it!
A pre-sale home inspection can inspire buyer confidence, preclude surprises, lessens stress help the negotiation go more smoothly by making your house look great next to the others. So just do it and get your deal closed!
Take $50 Off Your Next Home Inspection
As a courtesy to the readers of my blog, Max Home Inspections is offering $50 off a complete home inspection. Consider using Max Home Inspections because they go above and beyond, they guarantee their work and offer warranties that are transferable at the time of closing. But don’t take my word for it! Do your homework and make sure that Max Home Inspections is the best company for you. (Click on the image below to download your coupon).
Disclosure : I am in no way, shape or form compensated by Max Home Inspections.
Happy Inspecting!
Désirée Ávila
Désirée Ávila was an award winning teacher for 10 years and has a doctoral level education in Educational Technology. Désirée is now a licensed Florida Realtor and committed to a high-level of professionalism and to helping others with their real estate endeavors through education.
To contact Désirée click on the link below or contact her at 954-993-4246 or by e-mail atdesiree@desireeavila.com