Why Order Inspections Prior to Placing Your Home on the Market?
I have always encouraged sellers to obtain inspections (at the very, very least, a pest inspection) prior to putting their home on the market for a few reasons:
First, as always, it is important for a seller to know what repairs, if any, are needed and will be expected by the buyers, so that these costs may be figured into the seller's calculations and negotiations. If you do not have these figures, your estimate of the net proceeds may come up short. Most buyers and their lenders are requiring Termite Clearances these days, so it is best to be forewarned.
Second, by having this information available for the prospective buyers to review, and by requesting that the buyers read these inspections prior to their making an offer, the following is accomplished: (1) we weed out the buyers who are not ready to accept the condition of your property, and (2) a buyer who has read the inspections prior to writing their offer is much less likely to back out of the sale later. Also, a buyer is more willing to make an “As-Is” offer if they know what “as-is” means!
Third, most contracts call for a contractor to perform repairs once an offer is accepted. You may wish to complete these repairs prior to going on the market or, you may decide it is best for you to sell your home "as-is". When selling a home “as-is”, it is especially important that you fully disclose the home's condition, and that can only be done through the inspection process.
And finally, Buyers are expecting home sellers to have a disclosure package ready for their review. It has become, over the last few years, a standard operating procedure. You want to make it easy for a buyer to choose your home over any others.
The few extra dollars spent up front for your property inspections will save you a lot of money later. I will help you decide which the appropriate inspectors for your property are. I will also be sure that your disclosures are complete.
-Nancy Adele Stuhr