A lot of work goes into preparing a home for sale, from basic property improvements to making sure every room looks perfect for upcoming open houses and home tours. However, there’s one big step many sellers overlook: a pre-listing home inspection.
Typically sellers wait until a potential buyer makes an offer on their home, and then the buyer pays for an inspection. However, doing it this way runs the risk of a lengthy closing process, having to negotiate repairs, and the sale potentially falling through.
So, if you’re ready to sell your home and want to help the process move along smoothly and quickly, be sure to consider a pre-listing home inspection. Still not convinced? Check out these 6 benefits of a pre-listing home inspection.
1. Identify repairs in advance
During a home inspection, a trained inspector will take a close look at your house to ensure it has no significant defects. They will look at features such as the foundation, roof, plumbing and pipes, windows, doors, and more. If a home inspection turns up something that’s in need of repair, wouldn’t you prefer to resolve it before listing your home for sale? Without a pre-listing inspection, you likely won’t discover any possible issues with your home until the final inspection during the closing process, which can throw a big wrench in your sale and may lead to last-minute negotiations.
2. Price the home more accurately
Choosing the right listing price requires market knowledge, an understanding of your personal needs, and the perceived value of a home. But how do you price something when you don’t know what state it is in? That’s where a pre-listing inspection comes in.
With a home inspection, you will have a much better understanding of any flaws or damage your house has and can price accordingly. Maybe the house needs a new garage door, or there are issues with leaky pipes. If you decide not to fix the issues revealed during a pre-listing inspection, you can factor the repair costs into the asking price of the home. You can then explain to buyers that while the home has certain issues, they will be getting it for a lower price as a result. On the other hand, if you do decide to make repairs or if you end up with a clean home inspection, you can increase the asking price.
3. Accelerate the buying process
One of the biggest benefits of a pre-listing home inspection is that it can speed up the buying process. When you have a pre-listing inspection and share the report with the buyer, they may decide to leave out the home inspection contingency in their offer. This will allow you and the buyer to close on the house quicker.
While a pre-listing home inspection doesn’t always replace a buyer’s inspection, it can reassure a home buyer that there are no unexpected surprises to be found. This can expedite the consideration process, ensuring a shorter time period from listing to closing and a less stressful selling experience overall.
4. Avoid last-minute negotiations
No homeowner selling a property wants to face last-minute negotiations, but it’s a somewhat common occurrence in real estate transactions. And, unfortunately, last-minute negotiations tend to originate from unforeseen repairs. When buyers find problems during inspections, they may argue for a lower price.
A pre-listing inspection can bring potential issues to light, allowing owners to either address them before listing a property or adjust the pricing to cover the costs of repairs. When there are no buried secrets, sellers can better avoid last-minute negotiations and the sale potentially falling through.
5. Improve buyer confidence
Buying a home requires a big investment and, to some extent, a leap of faith. After all, buying a home that has serious issues like structural problems or a mold outbreak, is a prospective buyer’s worst nightmare.
A pre-inspection can ensure no stone goes unturned for both sellers and buyers alike. Sellers can be honest about potential problem areas, and buyers can proceed with confidence. This trust can become stronger when a buyer’s inspection comes to the same conclusions as the seller’s pre-listing inspection.
6. Minimize transaction stress
Both the buying and the selling process can be extremely stressful, and all parties involved will have a lot of concerns to address. Getting a pre-listing inspection, however, can minimize one major source of stress: the condition of a house for sale. Sellers can rest easy knowing that they won’t have to confront any post-purchase surprises, while buyers can feel confident that they’re making an offer on a house in good condition. This can make the entire sales transaction process easier to bear across the board.
If you’re preparing to sell your home, make sure a pre-listing home inspection is on your to-do list. With the pros including less stress, more accurate pricing, and a faster sales process. For your pre-listing inspection, check out A-Pro Home Inspections – find your local home inspector here.
Redfin is not affiliated with nor endorses or guarantees any of the products or services mentioned.
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