When selling a home, most owners wait for potential buyers to obtain a home inspection to find out the condition of the property… after negotiations are underway. Often, sellers are hit with demands by a buyer to repair or replace deficiencies found during the inspection or to lower their selling price. Some sellers are caught by surprise and have no room to negotiate since they've already accepted a lower offer.
Waiting for a buyer's inspection to continue negotiations delays the buying process, and in some cases, allows buyers to walk away from the deal altogether. This leaves sellers and their realtor with wasted time, effort and money.
A seller's inspection (also known as a pre-listing inspection) can help put control of the selling process in the hands of the seller by:
- Allowing sellers to secure a profile of the home to ask for the best possible price
- Uncovering deficiencies and addressing them quicker
- Not catching the seller by surprise when a buyer's inspection reveals certain issues
- Making the home more appealing to potential home buyers by shining a spotlight on the home's positive points
- Showing the buyer that a seller has nothing to hide and building a more trustful transaction
- Potentially reducing a seller's liability by having professional documentation to rely on when completing disclosure forms
Although a buyer is still entitled to obtain their own inspection, many buyers feel confident about purchasing a home that has been pre-inspected. In some cases, buyers decide to waive their own inspection and rely on the seller's inspection to make their decision. Therefore, it's a good idea for a seller to take control and not wait for surprises by getting a seller's inspection.
