Why Home Sellers Need a Pre-Listing Inspection - 6 Main Advantages

Selling a property in the current market is certainly challenging. Since the real estate prices are at an all-time high, most buyers are super diligent about the home they are investing their hard-earned money in. 

As such, they’ll schedule an inspection by a certified inspector who will closely examine the condition of your home and look at hidden defects. If the results of the inspection reveal any issues, the buyer will either try to negotiate the price or walk away from the deal - which can reflect poorly on the reputation of the property. 

Fortunately, you can schedule a pre-listing inspection and find any issues before putting your home on the market. 

Continue reading this post and learn why home sellers need a pre-listing inspection.

What is a pre-listing inspection?

A pre-listing inspection is a home inspection ordered by a seller and conducted before listing the property. Its impact is huge as it provides the seller with the findings before they start the selling process that will eventually surface during a buyer-scheduled inspection. That way, sellers can get more control over the condition of their home and the asking price. 

What does a pre-listing inspection cover?

If you ever had a regular home inspection, you pretty much have a general idea of what to expect. The seller’s inspection assesses the overall condition of the home and checks the major systems and components. This includes:

• Electrical system
• Plumbing system
• HVAC system
• Exterior and interior
• Structural condition
• Roof

The results of the findings will be included in the inspection report that also contains recommendations for repairs and replacements. 

Benefits of pre-listing inspections

To understand why home sellers need a pre-listing inspection and why you are not an exception, here are the main benefits of this service:

1. Gain a complete overview of your home’s condition

If you want to get an understanding of your home’s condition, you should schedule a pre-listing inspection. This is by far the best way to arm yourself with vital information you must know before putting your home on the market. 

A major defect should be something you’re aware of before you enter into negotiations with a potential seller. This makes the seller’s inspection the most important service that can help you avoid surprises later down the line. 

2. Stay on top of repairs

One of the biggest benefits of pre-listing inspection is the fact it provides you with an opportunity to make the repairs before selling the home. You can research contractors and fix the issues at an affordable price.  This beats stressing over last-minute repairs to fix an issue found during the sales process. 

Alternatively, you don’t even have to address these issues if you’re not feeling like it. You can inform the buyer about the defects, adjust the price to accommodate the repairs, and leave the work to the buyer’s discretion. 

3. Set the right price

If you guessed that pre-listing inspections help homeowners price their homes accurately, you’re right. Setting the right listing price is very tricky because it’s sort of a balancing act. You don’t want to turn off potential buyers, but you also don’t want to lose money by pricing it too low. 

A pre-listing home inspection will help you dial in the right price, which will make you and the buyer happy. Plus, if the inspection report shows the home is in excellent condition, you can use it as a way to justify your asking price. 

4. Advertise a listing better

The inspection report will also include any positive aspects uncovered during the inspection. Home inspectors are certified and their word carries a lot of weight. Thus, you can use parts of the report to drive attention to some positives of the property. 

For instance, if the examination reveals the roof is as good as new and will last at least a decade, you can use that as a promotional tool. That way, you can quickly build trust with new prospects without breaking a sweat. 

5. Attract more serious buyers

As we said in the very beginning, most buyers are overly cautious when purchasing a home. By providing a pre-listing inspection report and sharing the findings beforehand, you can attract more serious buyers who understand what a quality property looks like.

6. Shorten the negotiating process

Negotiations can drag on for too long. This is especially true when it comes to the topics of repairs and any of the issues found by the inspector the buyer hired. However, if you have an inspection report by a certified home inspector, you can slash the time of the negotiation in half or even more, depending on the other party. 

With your pre-listing inspection completed, your agent will have everything they need to set up disclosures a lot sooner. 

Even if the buyer wants to complete another inspection, it’s no big deal. You already know the results, just wait for the other inspector to do their thing and enjoy a negotiation process without any surprises. 

This alone is enough to answer why home sellers need a pre-listing inspection - the peace of mind you get is priceless.

Break the deal smoothly

If you’re looking to sell a property in Florida with ease, a pre-listing home inspection is essential. Closing the deal can be tedious, so taking proactive steps to ensure there are no surprises with your property is a good move as it puts you ahead of the competition. More importantly, it benefits both you and the potential buyer and can save you both a lot of money and time. 

Want to schedule a seller’s inspection but don’t know who to choose? Well, there is a high probability that your real estate agent has heard of Guardian Angel Inspections. 

In 2023, we were voted the best Broward, Palm Beaches & St. Lucie inspection company by the largest real estate association - RWORLD Realtors®. A few hundred of the most successful realtors have chosen our services, and so should you. 

Schedule a pre-listing inspection - call 561-512-7854 or fill out our contact form. We’re looking forward to hearing from you!