Pre-listing inspections good, bad or depends?

Well, I guess that could depend on who and what!  From a home inspector's point of view who is looking for an increase of market share they can be good, when it is slow.  When a seller has an inspection done many times they can get the little and many times the major items addressed before a buyer comes along.  This is a good thing.  It is good for everyone that is involved in the sale of the home. But, pre-listing inspections do have their limitations.

Recently we have seen a new twist to the pre-listing inspection hit the market.  This is the inspection that the owner or their agent places a sign in the yard saying that the home is "Certified".  What folks don't realize is that the seller is certifying their own home, based on a home inspection that they had done. Having a home owner to certify that their home is in good condition might not be in the seller's best interest or the agents if you are in a disclosure state.   Let's say a buyer has their own inspector to inspect the home and their inspector finds item(s) that were not listed or missed by the seller's inspector.  This could leave the buyer an easy out of the sales contract.  Then look at it from the point of a buyer who buys a home that has been "Certified" and then problems start to pop-up.  Who do you think that they will be calling?  It won't be the seller or their inspector; it will be the real estate agent!  Now if the home inspector will "Certify" the home, this is a different story and one that very common.  In fact, I know of only a handful of home inspectors around the country who will certify a home, and their inspections start in the $3,000-$4,000 range for a modest size home.

Most buyers will and should hire their own independent home inspector to look at any prospective purchase.  Many times their inspector might find something that was not fully addressed or was even missed by the seller's inspector.  A home inspection is not an exact science so it is open to many factors that can influence its outcome.  The largest factors would be the inspectors experience and knowledge base.  

As a long time home inspector of twelve years and a former Realtor for five years, I've always advised sellers to have a pre-listing inspection to catch the large items that need to be addressed. A good pre-listing inspection can help a seller prep their home for the marketplace. But always be aware that a prospective buyer will most likely hire their own inspector, just as you will do when you find your new home. 

It is still "Buyer beware" when the purchase of a home is involved and this is even more so in today's market.