A home inspection is a standard step in the home purchasing process for buyers. However, should sellers order a pre-listing home inspection prior to marketing their property for sale? Although we do not see this commonly done, it can actually be beneficial in the event that a prospective buyer appears. Needless to say, this will give the seller a good idea of what items should be repaired or replaced prior to listing a home for sale.
Of course, if a seller decides to have a pre-listing home inspection performed, they will need to disclose any findings from this report. On the bright side, this is an excellent opportunity to also provide receipts for any items that were repaired or replaced in the report. This will go a long way in building confidence and trust from any prospective buyers.
As has been well documented, the current real estate market is more of a seller’s market. Therefore, it is even less common to see pre-listing home inspections performed. Nonetheless, these inspections may still save some potential headaches for sellers.
Summary
As with any prior knowledge of a property, sellers need to keep in mind that all information must be disclosed to a potential buyer. In the event that a pre-listing inspection is conducted, it is highly recommended that this report be shared with prospective buyers. Furthermore, buyers are more likely to feel positive about making a strong offer on a home that has had already-known problems addressed. Oftentimes, many of the items that may be uncovered during a pre-listing inspection would have also been discovered during a buyer’s typical home inspection.
