Preparing your home for the sales process is a huge project that can be stressful at times. Listings are in direct competition with other comparable homes in the area and buyers are looking for the best deal available.
For many buyers, this means the best overall value on a home that meets their needs rather than the cheapest home in the area. Quality and condition play a major role in your ability to sell your home quickly, and the benefits of a pre-listing home inspection can help you to accomplish your goal.
Learning About the Benefits of a Pre-Listing Home Inspection
Before you take advantage of the benefits of a pre-listing home inspection, you should understand what this type of inspection is. This is similar to a buyer’s inspection and details the same information, but it’s performed on behalf of the seller. While a pre-listing inspection report is not required, it offers many benefits to sellers.
1. Use Funds Strategically
You have a limited amount of funds available as you prepare your home for the sales process. With limited funds, you may have to make tough decisions about which repairs and updates to make.
Even when you do your best to use your funds efficiently, there is always a chance that the buyer may negotiate for additional work prior to closing based on the property inspection findings. When you review the property inspection report before listing, you can better determine the most cost-effective tasks to focus your attention on.
2. A More Appealing Home
If the pre-listing inspection report shows that your home is in good or excellent condition, you can provide a copy of the property inspection report to the buyer up front. Perhaps the report shows some particularly appealing aspects.
If a buyer is on the fence between making an offer on your home with a known condition or another home with an unknown condition, the inspection report would make your home more appealing overall.
3. A Smoother Sales Process
A typical sales process includes an initial round of negotiations as the buyer and seller agree on the price, closing date, and other factors. After the terms are agreed to, the buyer may order a home inspection and use the results as leverage for additional negotiations.
For example, a significant repair issue may result in the buyer asking for a reduced sales price or for additional repairs to be completed prior to closing. This creates delays and stress for both parties which could be avoided if the seller used the inspection report to make repairs before listing the home for sale.
4. A Better Offer
While some buyers make an offer based on the seller’s asking price, many buyers will offer a lower price initially because of questions about property condition. One of the benefits of a pre-listing home inspection is that you can provide the information to the buyer up front. The buyer’s offer will then be based on accurate information about the property’s condition rather than on a buyer’s guess.
In order to take advantage of the benefits of a pre-listing home inspection, you will first need to order and review the inspection report. You can then make a smart decision about how to prepare the home for sale based on the information provided.
Professional Inspection Network provides pre-listing inspections and other home inspection services to Los Angeles and the surrounding areas. Contact us to schedule an inspection.