Sell Your Home in Greensboro, NC TODAY ! Seller's Inspection and Home Warranty

Though Spring is almost upon us, let's not take any chances that you will be the one still sitting on your property when late Summer arrives.  Be proactive and differentiate yourself from the market !

All of these options require some monetary investment up front ( except the Home Warranty and the Realtor), but will pay handsomely in the end, by helping your house to sell more quickly, for top dollar.

Here are a few ideas and some costs/benefits to each.

1. Hire the services of a Home Stager

• Cost:        $500+
• Benefits:   Making your home show its best will create that valuable first impression.

       2.    List your home with a competent Realtor

• Cost:        6% of the sale's price ( On a 200K home, 12K)
• Benefits:     A good Realtor can help make your house 'Visible' on the market-place by lisiting on the MlS and weekend showings.  They are also an invaluable resource for guidance in the home selling process.

     3.    Offer a Home Warranty

• Cost:       Averaging about $480 +/- depending on coverage
• Benefits:  A perception of security.  This can really sweeten the deal, unless your buyer has had a bad experience with that particular home warranty company. The misuse of the 'pre-existing condition's' clause has damaged the credibility of the home warranty industry in the eyes of the public.  Be sure to Google the name brand and add the keywords 'scam, fraud and rip-off'.  

     4.    Have your home Pre-Inspected by a licensed Home Inspector

• Cost:      Averaging about $350 +/- depending on size, age, etc. of house.
• Benefits:  Enormous.  Think about how impressive it would be to hand out a recent home inspection report along with a list of repairs that were made based upon that report.  Or don't fix the items and adust the price accordingly.  ( Hey, the buyer's inspector is going to find all the problems anyway. Why not show good faith and fully disclose with an inspection ?)

Of these options, I want to speak to the last two. 

SELLER'S OBJECTIONS to PRE-LISTING INSPECTIONS

Sellers often object to the idea of paying for an inspection because this is typically paid for by the buyer.  This is a shortsighted approach however. 

One of the best ways to create confidence in the buyer is to show you have diligently addressed all the outstanding functional issues to put the house in good repair. No one wants surprises, especially the seller, which is what will happen if they wait until the buyer's inspector reports his findings just before closing, which is what typically happens.   And that potentially leads to major bumpsin the road, requiring expensive last minute repairs or a drastic allowance ( usually 3x the cost of the repair) to sell the house.

A QUALITY HOME WARRANTY

Until 10 years ago, there was no real choice in home warranties. They all operated on the same faulty model, leading too many times to the same disastrous result :  a claim denied, a homeowner burned.

1n 1998 however, Advantage Home Warranty was launched to rave reviews.  Different because it required a home inspection to underwrite the warranty, this is the first and only 'No Denied Claim's' warranty on the marketplace. Go ahead and Google Advantage Home Warranty and the keywords 'fraud, scam, ripoff' and you won't find any complaints.  That is because we have not denied any warrantable claims in our 10 years of operation. 

PRE-LISTING ADVANTAGE - COMBINING THE PRE-LISTING INSPECTION WITH THE 'NO DENIED CLAIM'S' HOME WARRANTY---A PROVEN WINNER

Advantage Inspection Clear View and all the Advantage Inspection offices throughout the Southeast US offer a proven program for selling your house faster and for more $$$, combining the benefits of a pre-listing inspection with the only 'No Denied Claim's' Home warranty on the market.

But don't take our word for it.  See what it did for Michael Thrift, rookie Realtor out of Greenville, SC.  Michael had been in the business for 15 months without much success, but his hunger drove him to find a way to differentiate his listings in the market.  He found the Listing Advantage and LISTED AND SOLD 8 HOUSES IN 2.5 MONTHS.  

Michael understood the sellers objection to paying for a pre-listing inspection and so offered to pay for it out if his own pocket.  The seller would then agree to pay for the 'No Denied Claim's' Home Warranty at closing ( no $$$ out of pocket for seller). 

But let Michael's words speak for themselves:

---Original Message------

Subject: Pre-Inspections Work!!!

From "Matthew Thrift"  To: Sonya Skidmore

Hello All, I just had to tell you !..........19 Birkhall Circle - Received a ratified/accepted contract 20 days after listing!  This is incredible. Here is my testimonial...you have free will to use as much or as little as you would like:

After being in Real Estate for just over 15 months, I wanted to take my business to the next level.  As most businesses or self-employed people do I looked for anything that I could find that would set me apart from the other 2000 plus REALTORS in the Greenville market area.  I am happy to say that it did not take me long to find exactly what I was looking for.

With every listing I take I automatically order an Advantage Home Inspection.  These inspections are free to my clients and it has proven to be one of the best listing tools I have seen to sell a house.

For example: I listed a house on December 28, 2007 and between the 28^th of December and the 22^nd of January, I had 11 showings and no offers.

On Tuesday, January 22^nd, I had the house inspected by Advantage Home Inspection and Common Cents Pest Control, and I asked the sellers if they would purchase an Advantage Home Warranty for a buyer, which of course they agreed. 

I am happy to say that between Wednesday, January 23^rd and Sunday, January 27^th I had eight more showings and I received an offer TWO days after inspection and had it accepted FOUR days after inspections. And yes there is more:

On January 18^th, 2008 I listed a home in Bonnie Brae Subdivision where the average days on market are currently 83 days.  On Tuesday, January 29^th, I had the house inspected by Advantage Home Inspection and Common Cents Pest Control, and I asked the sellers if they would purchase and Advantage home Warranty for a buyer, which of course they agreed.  I am happy to report that on February 7^th, 2008 ( 19 days after listing and 9 days after inspections, I was able to inform my sellers that their home is under ratified contract.

Doing Real Estate a different way than everyone else has proven to be a key strategy.  In both examples above, I asked the buyer's agent why buyers chose my listing over others and their answers were inevitably the same..." Because everything was already done."

One agent even stated to me, "You took the hassle and frustration out of the transaction !"

Pre-Inspections JUST MAKE SENSE!

Thank you Advantage Inspection

Thank you Advantage Home Warranty

Thank you Common Cents Pest Control

Sincerely,   Matthew Thrift

Do you want the results that Matthew has had ?  Then do as Matthew does !  Call about our Listing Advantge today !

Philip LaMachio  Advantage Inspection Clear View

7B Corporate Center Ct.

Greensboro, NC  27408

336-327-5523      336-369-2173

*  All client's who order inspections with Advantage Inspection receive a 10% discount for a one-time purchase at Lowe's Home Improvement, worth up to $500 !