Be aware of any problems before you sell -

Most real estate experts agree: buying and selling a home ranks among the most stressful experiences of adult life. It can get to the point of being an emotional battle of will between buyers, sellers and real estate agents all wanting the best deal for the house. And, once that deal is negotiated and accepted everyone can then sit back and plan their move, or can they?

In almost all property transactions today there are still conditions to be met even after the price and terms have been negotiated and accepted. Twenty years ago, it was very rare to see an offer on a property with a condition that the home be inspected by a professional home inspector. Today, it is very rare to see an offer that does not have this contingency. How does that affect the home seller?

Basically it means that the home will be put under the ‘microscope’. A home inspector will go through the property, itemizing any and all of the home’s minor or major defects, and will report those findings to the purchaser. The inspector’s job is to carefully check the home’s structural and mechanical systems for problems that can lead to large repair bills later.

The home inspection is a critical part of the sale process. Nobody wants to buy a “bad” house.

However some buyers use the results of a home inspection as an opportunity for renegotiation, often requesting the homeowner to reduce the sale price by thousands of dollars. This process can turn into a nightmare for an unprepared seller. Home inspections can cost home sellers thousands of dollars and in some cases a failed transaction.

No home is perfect. Although many homes will not have major defects, it does not eliminate the possibility of the purchaser asking for abatement (a reduction in the sale price or a complete release from the deal). Sometimes it’s because the purchaser gets cold feet and a few minor deficiencies may scare them away. Sometimes the inspection reveals a bigger problem with the house that nobody was aware of. Sometimes it’s just that the home inspector scared the purchaser by not explaining that the minor and typical problems are just that minor and typical.

The last thing any homeowner wants in the ‘eleventh hour’ of the sale is a purchaser who wants to renegotiate the deal.

An inspection (prior to listing, carried out by a qualified Home Inspector, will help the homeowner by revealing potential problem areas that may surface in the buyer’s inspection report. Quite often many of these problems can be cleared up before a purchaser views the property, thereby eliminating any negative impact they may have had on the sale and making the home more appealing to the buyer. Quite often minor deficiencies can be remedied for very little cost and will eliminate the predicament of lost or renegotiated deals.