Isn’t it the buyer’s responsibility to get inspections? The answer is both “yes” and “it’s nuanced.”
Responsible buyers are going to want an inspection. They need to check their potential new home for safety issues, foundational/structural problems, hidden problems, radon, etc and learn about and how to maintain their new home.
While it seems straightforward to allow your buyers to arrange an inspection – and leave it at that – getting your own inspection before you list can save you a lot of time and dollars in the long run.
After all, a home seller’s worst nightmare is when the buyer backs out of a sale.
Buyers tend to back out when they don’t feel confident about their potential purchase.
But there is a solution: a pre-listing inspection can enable you to:
- Understand the true condition of your home. Even the best maintained homes have hidden problems you might not be aware of yet. In most cases, it’s better to know about them prior to determining your listing price. The more knowledge in your back pocket, the better your chances of selling your home for its true market value.
- Get the benefit of comparing quotes to get the repairs done in advance. Knowing in advance gives you the choice of either fixing the problem – or list with a better sense of the situation. And having more time to complete any repairs means you’ll be able to find the most reasonable bids.
- Experience a better peace of mind. While the buyer will probably still arrange their own home inspection, there’s a chance that they’ll accept an inspection from a credible company and feel more confident moving forward.
- Compare results. If the buyer still wants to do their own inspection, this will allow for a comparison of the two results. This can be important if the buyer’s inspector comes up with more issues than you own. If you come up with a discrepancy, you will be able to bring your inspector back in for a follow-up. Always check your boxes and be ahead of the game.
- You will establish more trust with your buyers. Presenting buyers with an inspection shows transparency and builds rapport a lot quicker. This helps buyers trust your word and feel safer in deciding whether to buy your home.
- Increase competitiveness. Many home sellers will skip the pre-listing inspection, which immediately gives you a leg up in the market. While other home sellers may be relying on their buyers to dig up their home’s hidden secrets, you will already be presenting your buyers with the solutions.
- Ensure a seamless transaction & correct pricing. Knowing what repairs are needed in advance can be factored into your initial listing price. This will make sale easier and avoid any steep offer drops based on needed repairs. Rather than starting with a price and consistently bringing it down over time and when the buyer’s home inspection brings up issues, you’ll be prepared, creating an accurate listing price for your home, and giving the upper hand in the sales process.
If you want a pre-listing inspection, we can help you get started. Just call or email us – or visit my list of preferred list of local vendors to find home inspectors who’ve been vetted by myself, my team, or previous clients. After all, Jackie Mack & More is always here to help you with every step of your home selling and buying process. Happy listing!