Why a pre-listing Home Inspection can help Sellers

Selling your home is complicated. One of the most frustrating issues for sellers is a deal falling apart over unexpected repair items uncovered during a buyer’s home inspection. Anticipating and correcting potential issues before buyers set foot in your home can prevent anxiety and save you money. 

An often overlooked tool to help sellers avoid problems is a pre-listing home inspection. This is a professional inspection you schedule before listing your home to identify any issues with the condition of your home before others find them. 

Does every home seller need a pre-listing inspection? If your house is fairly new or you are a maintenance machine and know what is going on with all your home systems, you may not need one. But if your home is older, you don’t like surprises, and you can’t remember the last time you were in the attic, you would probably benefit from an inspection. 

Now, I know what you're thinking – "Why would I want to spend money on an inspection when the buyer will likely get one anyway?" I get it. But hear me out, because there are some solid reasons why investing in a pre-listing home inspection could actually save you time, money, and a whole lot of headache.

First off, let's talk about peace of mind. Picture this – you've gone through a dozen showings, a a buyer gave a great offer and then BAM…the buyer's inspection reveals a whole laundry list of issues you didn’t know about. Cue the stress, the negotiations, and potentially even losing the deal altogether. Now, imagine if you had discovered and addressed those issues beforehand? You could have presented your home to potential buyers with confidence knowing it’s in great shape. 

A pre-listing inspection gives you time to make repairs on your schedule, and avoid any last-minute scrambling while you are under contract. As well, making repairs and improvements before listing allows you to fix small items yourself, or shop for the best price, a luxury you often will not have when a buyer is presenting you with an estimate for an issue they discovered.

Let's not forget about transparency! By providing a pre-listing home inspection report to potential buyers, you're showing them that you have nothing to hide. This can set your home apart from others and gives buyers more confidence in making an offer, knowing that they have a clear picture of the condition of the property.

You may be thinking – "Won't a pre-listing inspection just give potential buyers more reasons to negotiate on price?" Not necessarily. Having a pre-listing inspection can actually help you justify your asking price. When you can present a clean inspection report and show buyers that your home is in good condition, they may be more willing to make a strong offer.

A pre-listing home inspection may just be the secret weapon you need to sell your home quickly, smoothly, and with a lot less stress. 

If you are not sure who to use to inspect your home, reach out to us at 919 Realty Group for help. We’ve got great inspectors and proven repair professionals who can help you get your home ready for sale. 

We can even help you prioritize based on what will be a problem for buyers, and help you handle disclosure requirements as part of our listing process. Connect here or give us a call at 919-813-0138