Benefits of a Pre-Listing Home Inspection

With inventories in most parts of the country still pushing high levels, buyers are increasingly more sensitive to property condition and are more than ever asking for full disclosure up front about condition and other factors that affect the value.

A pre-inspected home gives the potential buyers a full inspection report by a qualified home inspector. The report we provide educates the buyers on the condition of the property under consideration, and any repairs that were made by the seller, along with any major repairs that may need to be made once they close on the house. With this report,  the buyer can decide early on if they want to pursue a property, given the condition. There may be some excepted items they can live with, but others they cannot.

The same report should be used by the sellers to assist them in preparing property disclosure documents. It allows the seller to anticipate any objections directed toward property structure and system functions such as heating and air conditioning - objections that may have potential financial implications.

For marketing purposes, a pre-listing inspection should be available at the property for review by the potential buyers after viewing the property. Additionally, 2Patriots Property Inspection can have the inspection report available for prospective buyers and their agents through an HTML link on their website. Just ask us about this.

While a pre-listing inspection will not head off every potential "deal-breaker" issue, most agree the benefits outweigh holding off on the inspection until after contract acceptance. Here are some of benefits to conducting the inspection prior to the listing.

1) Identify defects and make repairs ahead of time.
2) By identifying possible defects early on, the seller is in a position to handle repairs prior to listing, making the listing more attractive and the property more saleable. This may mean more money to the seller and a faster sale.
3) Making repairs ahead of time will limit objections over defects during the negotiations. If the seller elects not to repair certain defects that turn up in the inspection, they can disclose the defects to potential buyers in the disclosure documents.
4)Aid as a pricing tool. Having a completed inspection report from a certified inspector will help you (the seller) arrive at a realistic list price. If you find out, for example, that your HVAC system shows significant wear and tear and will need to be replaced before the next winter season, you should take that into consideration when pricing your home for sale.

Best practices in today's buyers' market dictate one of the best things sellers can do to facilitate a sale is to conduct a pre-listing property inspection by one of our state licensed home inspectors, and have it readily available for potential buyers. The more information buyers have will aid in the negotiations and hopefully result in a successful contract.

Give us a call at 615.790.6233




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