Is it good or bad for a seller to get a pre-inspection?
There are both pros and cons to getting a pre-inspection.
You always hear of a home inspection when purchasing a home, but it’s not often you hear of a pre-inspection for a potential seller before they list their home. In the current seller’s market, is this a good idea? Here are some pros and cons of a seller getting a pre-inspection before they put their home on the market.
Getting a pre-inspection means fewer surprises when you do sell your home. A certified home inspector will go into detail checking around 1,600 times included in the home’s foundation, structure, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems. An inspector is this thorough to make sure hidden problems are found that could potentially affect the value and sale of your home. It can offer a seller peace of mind.
On the other hand, a pre-inspection costs money. This could be the reason that 10% of home inspectors are hired by sellers according to the executive director of the National Association of Home Inspectors. A home inspection on average costs between $200 to $500.
A seller will have more time to fix problems if they get a pre-inspection. “If the seller knows what an inspector thinks is wrong with the house, they can fix it before the buyer’s inspector shows up,” says McGavic. A buyer might choose your house over another one if your home has a “clean bill of health.”
The downside to this is that not all home inspectors will get the same results. “If you had 10 different inspectors out to the home, you would very likely get 10 completely different reports,” says Atlanta real estate agent Bill Golden. “Some of the issues that the seller addressed may not have come up at all. All in all, I think it’s a waste of time and money.”
Remember anything that you know as a seller that might be wrong with your home has to be disclosed. Once a seller is made aware of a problem, by law, they must let a potential buyer know of the problem. “Not that you want to hide anything,” Golden says, “but you may be shining a light on things that may not have ever become issues if you hadn’t hired an inspector. It creates mountains out of molehills and prolongs the process.”
There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to a pre-inspection. It is up to the seller’s discretion. A Realtor can advise you on what the best way to go for you and what fits you when it comes to a pre-inspection.