(February 2014)
I’d like to talk about the importance of home inspections, especially if you’re getting ready to put your house on the market. Of course, even if you’re not going to sell your house, but you’ve lived in it for a few years, an inspection might be a good investment. Once a home goes under contract, the most contentious and difficult process prior to closing is resolving repair issues that might come up when the buyer has an inspection done on the house. So why not be pre-emptive?
Let’s start with this caveat: In the vast majority of cases, a buyer is going to have his own inspection performed. Inspectors are paid to find any problems that may exist with a house. If you had three inspectors look at the same house, they’d each find different things. But you could reasonably expect all of them to find the same “major” issues, if they did exist.
If you have your home inspected prior to listing it, you’ll find out if there are any serious concerns, such as roof leaks, foundation issues, siding problems, or heating and air conditioning malfunctions. Any of these could scare a buyer away from the house, so take care of them beforehand and you won’t have to worry. And some less significant issues might be found, like electrical outlets with reverse polarity or a dripping faucet. Some of these repairs might be quite simple, but, if a BUYER finds them, they’ll probably ask that they be repaired by a licensed and/or experienced professional, which may end up costing you a lot of money, especially when there are some things you can fix yourself, or find someone on your own that knows what they’re doing to repair it.
While you’re doing your pre-listing inspection, make sure you have your heating and air conditioning system checked on and tuned up. A buyer will certainly appreciate it, and you’ll have the benefit of knowing that it is operating at its best while you still live there.