Everyone knows that buying a home is one of the most important (and largest!) purchases one will ever make. But listing a home for sale is no small matter either; sellers also desire a smooth transaction process and hope to get maximum value for their home. To help avoid costly delays and unexpected repairs that could interfere with the sale, sellers should consider having a pre-listing home inspection.
Benefits to Seller
A pre-listing home inspection is an inexpensive way to discover the universal condition of a home. Even if the sellers have lived in their home for many years, they may be unaware of defects or unexpected issues that may affect the timely sale of their home. Therefore, it is important to conduct a pre-listing home inspection to address any problems that may need remedied before even putting the house on the market. By knowing about conditions ahead of time, sellers can build the cost of any necessary repairs into the price of the home, rather than yielding to the buyer for repairs. Sellers who do pre-listing home inspections will also have the benefit of time to research reputable and economical vendors to do repairs or elect to do minor repairs themselves.
Further, a pre-listing inspection removes any questions about the condition of the home for both the seller and a potential homebuyer, improving the speed, top dollar and likelihood of a sale. In addition to facilitating the sale of a home, a pre-listing inspection helps the homeowner comply with full-disclosure real estate laws, governed by state laws. Ultimately, existing defects will inevitably be discovered during the real estate transaction, so identifying any problems in advance will greatly benefit the seller.
Benefits to Buyer
When a seller takes the proactive step of getting a pre-listing home inspection, their efforts to make repairs and improvements based on the report puts the buyer in a favorable position. As such, a pre-listing home inspection will help prospective buyers feel more assured of a home’s true condition, knowing that any potential defects have already been identified and remedied. Homes that have been pre-inspected will likely be marketed as such by realtors, distinguishing them from other listings.
Consider the car-buying analogy: when looking for a previously-owned vehicle, buyers would choose a pre-certified car that has been thoroughly inspected versus a car advertised for sale “as-is.” Buy with confidence, knowing the home you’re purchasing has been inspected from top to bottom!
Buy & Sell with Confidence
A thorough home inspection covers more than 1,000 items, including everything from the foundation to roof and takes two to three hours depending on the size of the property. The report should reflect the condition of about 400 items. It includes observation and, when appropriate, operation of the plumbing, heating, air conditioning, electrical, and appliance systems, as well as structural components, such as the roof, foundation, basement, exterior and interior walls, chimney, doors and windows. Contact Top Flight Home Inspections today to schedule your pre-listing home inspection.
