Pre-Listing Inspections

As a seller, you'd prefer a nice clean, unconditional offer at full price, right? One way to encourage such confidence among potential buyers is to have an inspection report available during showings, as well as any receipts (or estimates) for repairs. Why order an inspection when the buyers will probably do so anyway? Because when you take the initiative and perform repairs before listing, you are basically presenting a clean bill of health for your home.

Prelisting inspections are becoming a popular way to give sellers an edge in competitive markets. Taking such action also provides a great opportunity to take care of problems that otherwise might come back to bite you. Buyers today are armed with more knowledge than in the past, and they recognize the security offered when the seller is forthright and demonstrating that there is nothing to hide.

These are the conditions that are more likely to produce that unconditional offer. While it's probably a given that the buyers' representative will encourage them to order their own inspection, you also have a greater sense of confidence knowing that there won't be any surprises.

If you have any doubts about whether a prelisting inspection will improve your chances for an early sale, discuss it with your real estate representative, who will also undoubtedly have many other suggestions for successfully marketing your home.