Are you thinking about selling your home? The 2016 real estate market, particularly for higher priced homes in California’s most desirable areas, is fiercely competitive – and that bodes well for anyone planning to sell. Naturally, every homeowner wants to take advantage of innovative strategies that can help ensure a quicker sale at the best possible price. One of the most cost effective and proactive marketing tools is what is known in real estate jargon as a “presale” home inspection. These unique inspections may be less common, but they also provide uncommonly valuable insight.
What exactly is a presale or prelisting home inspection?
It works much like the professional home inspections that are traditionally ordered by a buyer prior to finalizing a sale.
- The inspector is hired to help evaluate the condition of the home and its various structural and mechanical systems. Then a printed report is issued that summarizes the findings.
- The inspector will typically make specific suggestions for contractors to take a closer look at any potential issues that the inspection uncovered.
- Alternatively, the inspector may go ahead and recommend a repair that is deemed necessary to ensure that the components of the home are functioning properly and safely.
- Oftentimes the report turns up nothing significant, and serves as a professional confirmation that the house is functioning as it should.
A presale inspection also tends to give potential buyers the added confidence of knowing that the property’s owner is conscientious about seller transparency and staying on top of routine home maintenance.
Get Twice the Insight with Two Types of Inspection
In addition to a general inspection, you can also order specific types of reports such as a termite inspection or an energy audit. Usually a termite inspector, for instance, will issue an official, dated certificate at the time of the inspection, which verifies that a home has a clean bill of health. Having recent, expert documentation such as that to show to Realtors and their buyers can help distinguish your home from the competition, in ways that can accelerate your success as a home seller.
Buyers Appreciate the Added Benefits
A preinspection report shared with a buyer lets them gain a professional perspective from a recognized third party, too, and that usually gives them added peace of mind even before they order their own inspection. Knowing in advance what one inspector has already found also alleviates much of the anticipation that home sellers may feel while awaiting a buyer’s inspection report. More importantly, this approach gives homeowners more control, insight, and reassurance. Having a greater depth of technical knowledge about your home always adds negotiating power and seller confidence – and those can be tremendously helpful.