Why should a seller get a home inspection?

For what ever reason, you find yourself in a position where you need to sell your home. Before listing your home with a realtor, it is customary to try to do a little clean up, paint some walls and do some landscaping in hopes of making your home more appealing than the rest. One thing most sellers do not think of is getting a home inspection done. They tend to think that this type of  thing is only done by the buyer. Well, nothing could be further from the truth. A home inspection should actually be done by the seller too!

By getting a pre-listing home inspection done, the seller has the advantage of finding out what the actual current condition of their home really is. This inspection, which is done by a trained professional, takes somewhere between two to four hours to complete depending on the size of the house, number of bedrooms and baths. Areas that are covered in a typical home inspection include an evaluation of the roof, attic, plumbing, electrical, foundation, doors, windows and even crawlspaces. Although the inspector does not tear in to walls and such, they conduct a visual assessment of your home looking past all the cosmetic features for signs that lead to potential problems.

As a seller, you will want to be present when the home inspection is done. By tagging along with the inspector, you get to see first hand what they look for and how they uncover the problems. While you are there, you can also ask any questions that arise about the whole home inspection process. You are able to actually see the true condition of your home through the eyes of a trained professional by showing you what really lies beneath the surface.

Once the home inspection is complete, the seller will receive a written report that describes in detail the findings of the inspection. This is a very valuable tool for the seller as it makes you aware of things that will show up on the inspection that the buyer has done prior to closing. By knowing about the problems ahead of time, you have the opportunity to get estimates and then make the repairs as needed. If you didn’t have a pre-listing inspection done, you would be scrambling at the end of the process trying to get the necessary repairs done and in most cases, spending a lot more money to do this.

Bottom line, if you are planning to sell your house it is imperative that you get a pre-listing home inspection done before putting your home on the market. This gives you the peace of mind knowing that you have done everything possible to have your home in top selling condition and also eliminates the possibility of surprise problems that could surface as a result of the buyer’s home inspection. When it comes to selling your home, it is much easier and less painful to be proactive instead of reactive.

James Budrow

http://www.InspectSacto.com

1-877-IB4-UBuy (424-8289)