A home inspection is traditionally known as a part of the due diligence process when a home is under contract with an intended buyer. A professional home inspector will visit the home and conduct a thorough review of the structure, noting any deferred maintenance, defects in the building and the remaining useful life of major appliances and systems such as the air conditioner and water heater.
Homeowners looking to put their house on the market can opt for a pre-listing home inspection, which provides sellers with a thorough report before the home goes on the market. Sellers have the opportunity to make necessary repairs before potential buyers start touring the property. The pre-listing inspection gives you the knowledge to do with it what you will – make repairs or updates or adjust the sale price to reflect the needed repairs.
Once you have the report in your hand, you can’t completely ignore a problem. If your pre-inspection finds a leaking water heater, you’ll be required to disclose that information as a known defect to the buyer, or fix it before anyone puts an offer in. For simple repairs, the pre-listing inspection gives you the added benefit of being able to take on projects yourself. When negotiating with a buyer, necessary repairs will typically require you to bring in professionals for all work done, even when the fixes are simple. The fact that your house has already had an inspection can have its own appeal for buyers and can serve as a plus if included in marketing description of the home.
Some local home inspectors I recommend include:
- Magnolia Home Inspections office@magnoliainspector.com (601) 454 4073
- Dan Lara AmeriSpec Inspection Services dlara@amerispec.net (601) 918 4448
- Larry Beard beardlarry@bellsouth.net (601) 214 6062
If you are considering putting you home on the market in the next few months, now is the time to think about a pre-listing home inspection. If you would like a free market analysis of your home, please feel free to contact me at (601) 421-7094 or dnelson@rightsizerealty.com
Reference:
Thorsby, D. (January 31, 2018). 5 Reasons to Get a Prelisting Home Inspection. U.S.News. Retrieved from: https://realestate.usnews.com/real-estate/articles/5-reasons-to-get-a-prelisting-home-inspection