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Pre-Sale and Pre-Listing Inspections
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FOR THE REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONAL
Do Pre-Sale Home Inspections Make Sense?
Lisa Turner
Those of you who are using the North Carolina Association of REALTORS® listing agreement Form 101 Revised 11/2010 know that Item 14 says,
HOME INSPECTION: Seller is advised to obtain a home inspection for the purpose of evaluating the condition of the Property in order to enhance its marketability and to help reduce concerns of prospective buyers. Seller q agrees q does not agree to obtain and pay for a home inspection by a licensed NC Home Inspector within _______ days after the execution of this agreement.
There must be a home Inspector Lobbyist on the Real Estate Commission!
Seriously, are you having a discussion with your sellers about getting a home inspection?
Have they asked you, “What is the advantage of spending money on a home inspection when the buyers will probably want their own inspection?” What are you telling them?
Even though I am a home inspector, and most certainly this change in the contract benefits my business, I will step back from this natural bias and use some logic to talk about the pros and the cons of having the seller get a home inspection. Armed with this information, you’ll be able to help your client decide whether their money will be well spent or not.
Getting a home inspection is a good idea if:
The seller wants to avoid the last minute surprises of a buyer home inspection. Sometimes both parties are very surprised at what is found in an inspection. Suddenly there is work, aggravation, and a small measure of irrationality as both parties wrestle with who will do what.
The seller wants an extra edge in marketing the home. The competition is fierce; any extra effort or component to make the home more appealing to buyers will help set that home apart from everyone else. Getting an inspection also indicates to the potential buyers that the seller is serious about taking care of the home.
The home is already in good condition. A home inspection will probably turn up some items that the seller was unaware of, but they will be small items and the seller can take care of these relatively easily. The inspection then becomes a marketing tool when the inspector produces an “all items corrected” report.
Getting a home inspection may not be a good idea if:
The seller knows that there are numerous problems with the home and would rather not dig up the details on them. This is a little ostrich-like, but some sellers feel that it is better to not disclose defects and rely on the "buyer beware” doctrine even though he or she knows there may be ramifications at contract due diligence time.
The home has very serious known defects and is being sold “as is – where is”. There is little point in illustrating the multiple deficiencies of a home by the seller in an inspection report when they know the buyer will probably be ordering their own inspection.
The seller is asking a high price for the home and sticking to it – by the time the home sells it may be years down the road and the inspection will not be a timely tool.
Sometimes the seller will tell you “I’m already spending enough money to get this home on the market; I don’t want to spend the money on a home inspection.” We have an answer for that: big discounts for your sellers! You know we almost always have $25 coupons for your clients; well how about $75 off a seller inspection price? SEE SPECIALS HERE
Use our brochures and flyers. Call us if you want your logo on them! No charge.
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We produced a card to go in the brochures we distribute to real estate offices. We're reproducing it here, as we feel it sends an important message about how hard we are working to be easy to work with from the agent side as well as the client side. Thank you for your referrals!
Take a look at right to see a few of the things that differentiate us from other inspection companies. We give every client a free homeowner guide, a 90 day warranty, and same day reporting.
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| Look at what your clients get! |
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| The most important part - happy clients! |
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