When listing a home for sale, we often encourage my clients to hire an inspector before making any improvements. Are pre-listing inspections necessary? A professional inspection will conduct a thorough investigation of the home. A home inspector will uncover an extensive list of items wrong with your home. Hopefully, many will be minor such as cracked grout, dirty air conditioning filter, and broken switch plates – all petty things that a handyman can easily repair. However, they may also find some severe defects.
Inspections will uncover unknown conditions. Their report allows sellers the opportunity to perform desired repairs before placing their home on the market. More importantly, as Realtors and not general contractors, we must determine that no significant repairs are required. Why paint the interior of a home if its foundation is in poor condition or if there is mold? In these instances, we may decide to sell AS IS (with the proper disclosures). Or we may opt to include the high-ticket items among the other things to be repaired. Many Harb and Co. clients opt for our fix it and list it program. When utilizing this program, we can pay for upfront repairs and be reimbursed at closing.
Typically, after the pre-inspection, we prepare a list for the client. On it, we note if the items are for a handyman, electrician, plumber, etc.
Once any desired repairs are made, the report is retyped, and the defect is now minimal. By taking care of repairs in advance, the seller has more control over how much is spent. Once the seller or their listing agent has inspection reports and estimates, they must be disclosed to any future buyer. You might be subject to the buyer’s inspector and overinflated estimates without a pre-inspection. Recently when selling a Pasadena condominium, a buyer presented us with an electrical estimate of $1,200.00. I have a trusted list of home maintenance providers, and my electrician was able to make the same repairs for $650.00.
Initially, taking care of the inspection reduces the likelihood of renegotiation or a canceled escrow.
Are pre-listing inspections necessary? It depends. Work with a qualified and experienced real estate agent who can guide you in the right direction based on your needs. I typically provide my clients with two values, AS IS and AS REPAIRED.
Inspections will uncover unknown conditions. This allows sellers the opportunity to perform desired repairs before placing their home on the market. More importantly, as Realtors and not general contractors, we must determine that no significant repairs are needed. Why paint the interior of a home if its foundation is in poor condition or if there is mold? In these instances, we may decide to sell AS IS (with the proper disclosures). Or we may opt to include the high-ticket items among the other things to be repaired. Many Harb and Co. clients opt into our fix it and list it program. When utilizing this program, we can pay for upfront repairs and be reimbursed at closing.
Typically, after the pre-inspection, we prepare a list for the client. On it, we note if the items are for a handyman, electrician, plumber, etc.
Once any desired repairs are made, the report is retyped, and the defects are now minimal. By taking care of repairs in advance, the seller has more control over how much is spent. Once the seller or their listing agent has inspection reports and estimates, they must be disclosed to any future buyer. You might be subject to the buyer’s inspector and overinflated estimates without a pre-inspection. Recently when selling a Pasadena condominium, a buyer presented us with an electrical estimate of $1,200.00. I have a trusted list of home maintenance providers, and my electrician was able to make the same repairs for $650.00.
Initially, taking care of the inspection reduces the likelihood of renegotiation or a canceled escrow.
Are pre-listing inspections necessary? It depends. Work with a qualified and experienced real estate agent who can guide you in the right direction based on your needs. I typically provide my clients with two values, AS IS and AS REPAIRED.
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