According to the National Association of Realtors, there are a few major issues that can affect
the sale of your home and they are typically uncovered in a home inspection. This is why some
sellers choose to order their own inspection before they put their home on the market.
A home inspection can cost between $350- $500, but it is an extremely valuable tool when it
comes to marketing a home and avoiding hidden surprises that could jeopardize the sale.
Remember this, after you accept an offer on your home, the buyer will order a home inspection
to make sure there are no hidden repair issues. If they uncover anything costly, they have the
right to back out of the deal or renegotiate the sales price to cover the repair costs. It pays to deal
with repairs before a contract is on the table.
Seller home inspection benefits:
Having detailed insight about the condition of your home before you are dealing with buyers means that any major issue found during the inspection can be fixed prior to receiving an offer.
You can present the findings of your home inspection to your Realtor to help market your home. Include receipts for any repairs completed and you prove to a potential buyer that your home is in good condition and will not surprise them with hidden issues. That is a something that puts buyers at ease and may lead to better offers.
A home inspection can also help you price your home correctly, with the help of your Realtor, to avoid painful renegotiations. If there is a repair issue that you can not afford to fix prior to sale, the issue can be disclosed, and the asking price lowered to reflect the current condition of your home.
Things to keep in mind
A home inspection covers everything from urgent, deal-breaking issues to preventative, good-to- know home care. Here are a few big issues that sellers should know about before they list:
Hidden issues with the structure: Hairline cracks in the foundation tend to be signs from the home settling, but large cracks – uneven blocks or bowed walls – could signal a more serious and pricey issue.
Failing roof: But sometimes a leak occurs and damages the wood underlay to your roof – and you may not know about it yet.
Issues with home systems: Perhaps the furnace it is not firing correctly or some of the wiring is frayed and potentially dangerous. Home inspectors commonly find ungrounded fixtures, spliced wires not terminated in a proper electric box, receptacles wired backward, and improper breakers in the electric service panel.
Damage from pests: Termites and carpenter ants can severely damage the structure of a home. It is not always obvious at first glance either.
It is not a requirement for a seller to order their own home inspection prior to listing, but it can be very beneficial to the successful sale of their home and reducing the chances of unpleasant surprises. I am ready to help you through all the steps of successful home selling, so please give me a call.
