Want a smoother home sale? Get presale home inspections

Q: When we were homebuyers, we hired roof, termite, home and chimney inspectors. And we’re glad we did, too. The chimney had a crack at the roofline, so the chimney was rebuilt during escrow at the seller’s cost with a building permit. Now, years later, our seller’s agent insists we hire inspectors to incentivize homebuyers into making purchase offers.

How is informing prospective homebuyers about flaws in our house supposed to promote homebuyer excitement?

A: Presale seller inspections began in the affluent areas of Silicon Valley in the late 1980s and early ’90s. It was a success, as the standard of practice regarding home sellers hiring inspectors spread throughout the Bay Area due to the rewards.

Before writing a purchase offer, home sellers’ presale inspections reduce prospective homebuyer apprehension. Plus, it curtails homebuyers’ remorse after a home sale. Renegotiation over the property’s condition two weeks before closing is a costly calamity home sellers can avoid. Let’s not forget that the chances of post-sale litigation with presale seller inspections diminish.

If home sellers know what they are selling, they can price their properties appropriately. If homebuyers know what they are buying, they will make substantial offers. Presale home seller inspections are a one-size-fits-all beneficial formula.

The advantage of presale home sellers’ inspections includes the following:

• Homeowners have on-site discussions with their inspectors, providing invaluable information gathering.

• The home seller can invest in repairs or enhancements before the first homebuyer sets foot on the property.

• The home seller disclosure questionnaires can accurately complement the presale inspections vs. conflict with homebuyer inspections.

Home sellers and buyers have one thing in common: They don’t like surprises. Superb home sale transactions also share the commonality of having no surprises.

So follow your seller’s agent’s advice and invest in presale seller inspections. An investment in repairs pays huge dividends, too. Watch your sales price go up, days on the market go down and post-sale homebuyer satisfaction remains level.

Do you have questions about home buying or selling? Full-service Realtor Pat Kapowich is a Certified Real Estate Brokerage Manager and career-long consumer protection advocate. He is based in his hometown of Sunnyvale, California. Office Landline: 408-245-7700; Broker# 00979413 [email protected] https://www.siliconvalleybroker.com/