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First of My Tips and Advise from YOUR FRIENDLY HOME INSPECTOR

Tips and Advise when LISTING a property.

This is drawn from experience on some of the many 1000's of Home Inspections I have completed here in the Denver area.

I have gotten into the habit of asking for and looking at the listing flyer and Disclosure Statement on what is included and the condition in which they are purported to be in.

Most of the time the check is in "Do Not Know" boxes on the Disclosure. Understandably for out of state sellers or sellers that have rented the property out and not lived there for years.

Flyer highlights = One Car Attached Garage, Wood Burning Fireplace, Jack and Jill Bath, Overlooking the Pool, Gas Forced Air Furnace, Central Air Conditioning, Jacuzzi Bath, New Dishwasher, etc. etc, etc,

It is nice looking at a glance.

Did you notice the PROBLEM in that flyer or Disclosure?
I didn't at first either.

Then I started my Home Inspection.

A few minor items are noted. Then comes the mechanical portion.
The 1986 water heater, very rusted, seeping at the nipples, tank gurgling, recommend replacing. Approx cost. $600-$750 installed.
Inspecting the furnace. Furnace needs minor cleaning and service, filter changed, .Approx cost $150-$250
Air Conditioning, air conditioning, there is NO AIR CONDITIONING, never has been. No electrical for it, no compressor unit, no line sets, no evaporator coils, that's correct, NO AIR CONDITIONING to inspect. Listed in the MLS, in the Contract, on the Flyers. All Say Central Air Conditioning.
Approx cost to install $4500-$6500, upgrade to furnace blower, if possible, $300-$400, if not, new furnace $2500-3500, this is a very major cost to me. $7300 low side possible cost, $10,400 high side possible cost. And that doesn't include the embarrassment, extended negotiations and possible legal complications ahead now.

When listing a property how do you KNOW that what the Seller is telling you is correct. Not a LIE but just correct. A Walk Through or Pre Listing Inspection would have prevented this from happening.

A much more reasonable cost to have then what DID happen above. Then you could have included, NEW WATER HEATER, FURNACE JUST SERVICED and IN TOP SHAPE. And you would have known it was CORRECT.

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Tips and Advise from YOUR FRIENDLY HOME INSPECTOR

Posted by Rick McCullough on 04/13/2007 06:07 PM

Comments (8)

colorado home inspection, colorado home inspections, colorado home inspector, colorado home inspectors, colorado home buyers, sellers

Post is included in group: Metro Brokers GMAC Real Estate
Post is included in group: Tips And Advise From a FRIENDLY HOME INSPECTOR

8 Comments on First of My Tips and Advise from YOUR FRIENDLY HOME INSPECTOR

APR

2007

Great advice...and why people need your service.

Great tips and thank you for sharing.

MAY

2007

Great tips but the prices seem out of line

The great thing about our business is that it is a very necessary service and most of our clients would never recognize most of the subtle items we note and the importance of the information can often save them thousands. I love being the Consumer Advocate

Best Regards, Steve Gladstone

Hi Rick..Disclosure statements are a joke,wouldn,t you agree,as they give the buyer a false sense of security.Sellers are likley to think listing the property as is gets them out of hot water on the disclosure.

Good idea to look at the listing for clues though.

For instance new dishwasher might lead you to beleive you should check for past leak problems in the area of where the old unit stood.Guess that is why Sherlock Holmes is a common logo in our trade.

MAY

2007

It's good for sellers to disclose what they know about the property they are selling. But like you said, sometimes they just don't know, for various reasons. Sellers are not necessarily property experts, so it's our job as inspectors to educate our clients. Not scare them, not deceive them, just educate them.

I think in most cases it does not make sense for the inspector to estimate repair or replacement costs. Since I'm not the licensed plumber, electrician, contractor, etc, I can't be current on their prices. Instead, I recommend that my clients get three estimates or bids, from licensed contractors. Don't necessarily go with the lowest price, since quality work will usually last longer than cheap work.

When Realtors are making recommendations to their clients for an inspector, what is important to them? They (the Realtors) want to increase their understanding of the property. They want clients who understand as well. They want any concerns presented in a balanced way. They want quick results. They want help for their clients to prioritize repairs and upgrades. And they want peace of mind that their clients will be satisfied customers. When we as inspectors provide those things, then we have provided a helpful service to everyone involved in the transaction.

Some clients do order inspections up front, which makes their properties much more appealing to the buyers as well as the listing agent.

How true, Robin. Those "pre-listing" or "sellers" inspections really do seem to up the chances of the property selling more quickly, with fewer surprises along the way. Sellers can present a property that is in relatively good condition, and buyers can have some confidence about what they are getting into. Unfortunately, those types of inspections have a bad reputation with a few sellers and Realtors. They may see them as a hindrance, thinking that too many "warts" could be exposed. But my observation has been just the opposite, with most warts being easily corrected. It makes the seller being more comfortable with the disclosure, and the Realtor more confident of the property's quality.

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