A_THRU_Z_HOME_WEBPAGE - Page: 32 of 40

A Thru Z Home Inspection, Inc.
Phone: (845)228-1237

Pre-Sale Inspection

The growing trend in today's tightening real estate market is for Homebuyers to have their real estate sales offer contingent on an acceptable home inspection. A buyer's home inspection can be a nail-biter for all parties involved. A new home is a major investment and homebuyers want to make sure the home they are considering is structurally sound and that all the major and minor components are not only functioning at the time of the inspection, but are also going to have a reasonable life expectancy that is comparable to the price the sellers are asking. But what happens when their home inspector finds key deficiencies such as a failing roof or a foundation that shows signs of moisture penetration? Chances are the homebuyers, especially first time homebuyers, are going to be very concerned, demand additional evaluations or may even want to back out of the deal.
On the surface, this scenario seems unavoidable since most homebuyers hire a home inspector, and more than likely that home inspector will find fault with something, whether it be something major like the foundation or a minor issue such as loose tile. However, situations like this can be avoided or their impact greatly reduced with a pre-sale home inspection. Just as a homebuyer's inspection is for the buyer's peace of mind, the pre-sale home inspection is for the seller's peace of mind. A pre-sale home inspection can provide the seller with a list of key items likely to be revealed by the buyer's home inspection and give them time to find acceptable and affordable remedies to them prior to showing, in short, it gives the seller a glimpse into the future of the sale.
At first thought it almost seems redundant and costly to have two home inspections on the same property. A seller more than likely is in the same process of purchasing another home and will not want to incur the cost of two home inspections, one for the home they are buying and the one they are trying to sell. This is acceptable logic, but not reasonable. Once a seller decides to hire an inspector for the home they are selling, they should also ask the inspection company to negotiate a reduced inspection price if they plan on using the same company for their future home.
The cost of two home inspections aside, the seller must anticipate that some issues are going to arise during the homebuyer's inspection. Some buyers will try to use these issues as negotiating leverage to lower the sales price or get major work done and more than likely slowing the process or even possibly killing the deal entirely. The benefit of a pre-sale inspection is that the inspection will mention the deficiencies, if any, and provide a cost analysis. More importantly, however, the pre-sale inspection will highlight the homes assets / perks and provide the seller with firm reasoning for the asking price and leave little room for the buyers to negotiate a reduced price after receiving their home inspector's report.