In the last 2 months, I've done inspections on 3 different homes in which the homes were re-plumbed. This means the entire home's plumbing has been replaced. It's done for a variety of reasons, but these were all homes built with Polybutylene (PB) pipe. PB pipe was used 20+ years ago as a new, easy to use, cheaper material. After a few years, it was found to have a very high rate of failure and is generally recommended to be replaced.
In each of these homes, when I explained the plumbing, the buyer and their agents have all responded, "Hmmmm." When I explain the benefit, they got a little more excited and some finally realized the benefit of having an older home with new pipes.
It's not just plumbing, but other hidden upgrades or replacements can make a big difference in the transaction, as well as the importance of the disclosure. For instance, a 20 year-old house may have had several owners. The 2nd or 3rd owner may not know or remember that the roof was replaced, or the Air conditioner compressor was replaced. Or, as I found recently, the home had been re-wired ten years ago in a house built in 1961. The owner had bought it in 2004, and did not know...
Now, if you're listing a home built some times ago, and it has new plumbing, new wiring, and a new A/C system, can you expect a better response?
I have an inspection scheduled for a home next week. I did some advance research and found this house was replumbed eight years ago. This one is a short sale. If this info was available for a short sale, would that make a difference on the offer?
I realize many sellers (and some Realtors) don't like the idea of a seller's inspection - it might dig up a can of worms. However, it has the potential of making the sale quicker and easier.
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