The Pros and Cons of a Pre-List Inspection

Are you considering putting your house on the market? Wondering what you should do to increase the value of your home before you list it for sale? A pre-listing inspection presents a great opportunity for both of these things, but weigh out the pros and cons before you commit.

Pro: You Know Repairs Ahead of Time

Part of the reason a potential buyer will complete an inspection is to decide if there are any repairs that need to be done to the home ahead of purchase. If this is the case, they will likely request the current owner to complete them as a condition of settlement. If you, as the owner, aren’t aware of these issues ahead of time, it can be a costly endeavour to have them fixed. Knowing beforehand the condition of your home makes the requirements more manageable.

Pro: Accurate Pricing

After you have the inspection done it will be much easier for the agent to recommend an accurate price for your home, as they will be able to use the results of the inspection and know what condition the home is in.

Pro: Improve Buyer Confidence

Whenever you can hand a buyer a completed inspection form, and show them that you have put in the effort to make the most of the sale and optimize the property for a new owner, this is good news. This immediately paints you as an honest seller, and helps ease any scepticism the buyer may have about the current condition of the home.

Con: Added Expense

When you choose to have a home inspection done ahead of listing, you, as the seller have to pay for it (usually). Once you list the property, the inspection costs become the responsibility of the buyer. Given that inspections can cost anywhere from $400 - $800, this may be an added expense you don’t want in an already expensive time.

Con: Disclosure Laws

What if you find something in the inspection that is costly for you to repair and you opt not to repair it? Unfortunately, depending on your location, disclosure laws may require you to disclose all issues to the buyer. If you have money to make the necessary repairs, this will be a non-issue, but if, as above, these are an added expense you are not prepared to deal with, it may in fact hurt your chances of selling or devalue your home by getting the pre listing inspection.

Con: Two Inspections

Don’t assume that you having an inspection done is going to suffice: the buyer will still likely have their own inspection done. For this, you will still be required to go through the buyer’s inspection and discuss the outcomes accordingly.

While the notion of an inspection can be daunting, and it can be hard to know what is the best course of action, working with an experienced real estate agent can help you out a great deal. I would love to offer you my services as an agent and help you navigate all parts of home selling, including inspections. Please get in touch to learn more.