As a homeowner, there will come a day when you’re ready to sell your property, whether you’re looking to expand to a larger home to accommodate your growing family, you’re ready to retire and downsize, you’re moving to a new location, or you’re simply looking for something that better suits your needs. When this day comes, you’ll need to make sure your home is in good condition to attract buyer interest.
Alternately, you might be looking to enter the esteemed company of proud homeowners by purchasing a property. If you want to ensure the best possible outcome from this major investment, you need to make sure the property you purchase has been well-maintained and will serve as a safe home for your family for years to come.
Good homeowners protect their investment by conducting regular maintenance on the property, updating components as necessary, and perhaps performing upgrades like renovations to increase the value. This serves the interests of sellers and buyers alike. Even so, there could be existing problems in a home that threaten a sale or even threaten the safety of inhabitants.
A home inspection is almost always part of the escrow process unless you’re involved in an auction situation, where the home is sold “as is”. However, you may want to hire your own home inspector prior to entering escrow (as opposed to relying on a lender’s preferred inspector) so you’re not surprised by the results and the sale isn’t somehow compromised. Buyers and sellers both benefit from conducting a home inspection before a sale goes through.
Ideally, you’ll find that a home is in excellent condition and there are no barriers to sale. However, there may also be defects that could impact buyer interest or the seller’s asking price. Even brand-new homes sometimes suffer such problems, so it’s no surprise that a lived-in property will have a few issues. The good news is, our trained and experienced home inspectors can help you to make informed decisions. Here’s what you can expect when our inspection is complete.
Receive a Report
Once we complete a home inspection, you can expect to receive a same-day report containing details about the condition of the property, including photos. Our meticulous inspectors thoroughly cover the interior and exterior of the home from roof to foundations, assessing visible elements, plumbing and electrical systems, and HVAC. Our home inspectors can also examine additional elements like outbuildings, a swimming pool, and so on in order to provide a detailed assessment of the condition of a property.
It’s important to understand that once homeowners know about problems, they are generally required by law to disclose them. Laws vary somewhat from state to state, but if a problem with a property is discovered during the home inspection, it must either be fixed or disclosed to prospective buyers. This is for the protection of both buyers and sellers. If a buyer discovers a problem after the fact, the seller could be held liable.
Next Steps for Sellers
Our inspection and report are the springboards from which you can improve your chances to sell your property. There are a couple of reasons why you might want to go ahead and fix problems found during a home inspection. One is safety reasons. If your home has potential safety issues, buyers may be hesitant to take the leap, even if you disclose and offer a discounted price to compensate. Some home buyers are okay with making minor repairs, or even major ones if the price is right, but many are looking for a move-in-ready situation.
You should also anticipate buyer requests for repairs, by which they attach conditional repairs to the sale of the home. In other words, they might demand certain repairs before they’ll sign on the dotted line. You need to carefully consider the value of making some repairs before listing your home. It could cost you a pretty penny up front, but the result may be more interest in your up-to-date property, as well as a better asking price.
Next Steps for Buyers
Once we’ve completed your home inspection and delivered a detailed report, you will have to decide on your level of interest in your preferred property. If issues are uncovered, you’ll have to carefully consider how you want to address them with the current owners.
In some cases, homeowners are willing to make needed repairs or upgrades in order to make the sale. On the flipside, you may be able to negotiate for reduced pricing if homeowners are unwilling to deal with problems discovered during an inspection. Hiring our capable and qualified inspectors gives you the power to bargain for the best possible property and pricing when purchasing a home.