Should you get a pre-listing home inspection?

By Mel Oldakowski

A home inspection is traditionally known as a part of the due diligence process when a home is under contract with an intended buyer. A professional home inspector will visit the home and conduct a thorough review of the structure, noting any deferred maintenance, defects in the building and the remaining useful life of major appliances and systems. Depending on what the inspector finds, the results can have a powerful impact on the sale of the house. The buyer can ask for repairs or updates to be made, try negotiating the sale price or walk away from the deal completely.

To avoid the unpleasant surprises a home inspection may bring to light, homeowners looking to put their house on the market can opt for a prelisting home inspection, which provides sellers with a thorough report prior to going on the market. Sellers have the opportunity to make necessary repairs before potential buyers start touring the property and to avoid a deal that falls through due to structural or maintenance problems that could lead to other potential buyers steering clear. Even in a hot real estate market, a prelisting inspection can help reduce the chances a deal could fall through and get you closer to selling your home for the price you want in the time frame you need.

Every house comes with its fair share of quirks and problems, having advanced notice gives a seller the upper hand so they are not blindsided by any major finds from the buyer's inspection.   If you're planning to put your property on the market, an inspection report ahead of time will help you see all the potential problems together, including some you may not have known about. 

There are some do-it-yourself projects that the homeowner can do where it's satisfactory.  The homeowner will also be able to pick the contractor of choice for those bigger projects that do require professionals. 

Time is on your side when your home isn't yet on the market. Rather than needing to find a contractor in a specific time frame to appease the buyer, you can shop around for the right price, availability and skill to ensure you're satisfied with the work. 

There could be some projects you're just not willing to take on. If you can't afford to fix a roof issue with your house or you don't want to invest the money to replace broken windows, that can be reflected in the price.  Work with your real estate agent to establish the right sale price, taking into account whatever issues you can't fix before putting the house on the market. Your final sale price will be lower, but it may be better than paying for repairs that won't be fully recouped by a buyer's offer.

The fact that your house has already had an inspection can have its own appeal for buyers and can serve as a plus if included in marketing descriptions of the house. Taking that extra step and getting an inspection ahead of time could give the buyer that much more assurance and lead to an amazing offer!