Why You Should Consider a Pre-Sale Home Inspection
Potential sellers focus more on whether or not their homes are ready for market as the home-buying season approaches. To answer their question, many opt for a home inspection. A home inspector is required as part of the home-buying process. While it is usually the buyer’s responsibility, the seller can also get their inspection before listing their property for sale; hence, the essence of a pre-sale home inspection.
According to the National Association of Realtors, up to 25% of buyers will make an offer without having to go through a home inspection. This is often done out of an urgent desire to have their offer accepted. Although the buyer may be more comfortable with the property than the seller, particularly if they have paid for a house inspection prior to listing the house for sale it is still possible for the seller to avoid this process. Pre-sale inspections can cost anywhere from $175 to $600 depending on the length and depth of the inspection. Thus, it is a worthy investment given that you will be paying hundreds to thousands of dollars for your new home.
Pre-Sale Inspection Versus Prepurchase Inspection Who benefits?
While there are some honest people in the real estate industry, some scavengers are out there waiting to take advantage of ill-informed buyers. Thus, as a prudent buyer, you should be on the lookout and avoid sealing a deal without prior research. It is crucial to know the difference between pre-sale or pre-purchase inspection, as there are many misinformation.
The owner is responsible for conducting a pre-sale inspection. This inspection is often done in conjunction with the agency handling the property sale. This inspection is conducted to ensure that the agent knows of the potential hurdles that may arise during negotiation. They can then rectify the faults detected before putting up the property on the market. This inspection does not protect the home, but serves to sell it. You should not trust this report as a buyer. This inspection is more beneficial to the realty agency. Putting down a deposit based upon this report will be dangerous, regardless of whether you are buying a home or an investment property.
On the other hand, a pre-purchase inspection is in the buyer’s interest. As an interested buyer, you will undertake this responsibility, to get an inspection report that is detailed with photographic series outlining everything about the property. This document gives you proof that you should negotiate or renegotiate the price to reflect the actual property value. You will pay for the pre-purchase inspection, but this payment is worthy, given the return on investment. You can also use this report to terminate your contract and get your full refund if you find severe deterioration, or problems you are unable to live with. The difference between pre-purchase inspection and presale is down to who this report is for.
Why You Should Not Skip a Pre-Sale Home Inspection
You should conduct a pre-sale house inspection before listing your house for purchase. This will help you understand the state of your home and what potential issues it might pose to potential buyers. By unveiling the faults in the house as a seller, you can make the necessary repairs as suggested by the inspector. This way, you will also know which problems to disclose to the buyer during the sale.
When negotiating your sale terms, a presale home inspection can be very useful. If you find any problems, you can fix them right away instead of waiting for the buyer. You can resolve the issue at your own pace, rather than waiting for the buyer to do so.
The inspection will reveal the issues and make recommendations for how to fix them. You can decide to fix the issues or charge the buyer to do so, in which case, the house will sell at a lower price. This information is valuable in pricing the property and ensuring smooth transactions.
Pre-sale inspections of the house are a great marketing tool. The buyer is informed about the condition of the house and will be fully aware of any future surprises. An inspector might praise your home for its excellent sewer condition and how long it has been left in good condition. This can be added to your listing and make it more appealing than other listings. Also, such a report will convince sellers that you are a serious seller and recommend you to potential buyers.
Transparency is the key to trust and building confidence with buyers. This is due to the fact that homes are one of the most important items buyers purchase. Buyers will want to know whether they can afford the purchase price and cater to future repairs. If a buyer is unsure about the condition of the home, they will make a lower offer. Thus, with a pre-sale home inspection, you can deal with such doubts, ensuring that the buyer makes a confident offer knowing that the house is examined and does not have any problems.
Pre-sale home inspections can also be a great way to speed up the selling process. Buyers today want to know that you have finished all of the steps, and they are ready to make an offer. They don’t want a house that has unresolved issues. An inspection report can be used to confirm the house’s condition and worthiness. You will feel more confident letting the buyer know that there are no problems with the house if you address them.
Finally, presale home inspections simplify the agent’s job. The owner handles all negotiations and pricing. Agents do this on their behalf. You will be able to save time and have a simplified process by hiring an agent. This way, they can easily find buyers, and the negotiations will be much easier given that everything will be in the light.
Some buyers may insist that you have their pre-sale inspection report. Your listing agent should attend the inspection in order to fully understand the report and make sure there are no exaggerations. Buyers can be unreliable and use a home inspection as a way to initiate a renegotiation. In most cases, the renegotiation will be on non-issues such as a roof with five years span that the buyer claims requires replacement, among others.
Pre-Sale Home Inspection Shortcomings
When it comes to pre-sale inspections of homes, disclosure issues are the biggest problem. In some states, sellers must disclose any known defects in their homes. In such cases, you will likely be disadvantaged. Consider researching the disclosure laws of your state before you list the house for sale. If the repairs are not possible, this will be a problem.





