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If you’ve thought about selling your home, you’ve probably wondered what you need to do to prepare your home for sale. There could be little to nothing to do, or there could be a lot you’ll need to do. It depends on several things, one of which is market conditions. Another is the condition of your home. Other factors, such as the price range you’re in, will also affect what you need to do to make your home stand apart from the competition. Your Realtor can help you decide what will give you the most bang for your buck.
No matter what condition your home is in, if it is older than 7 years, you may want to consider having a pre-listing home inspection done. In the video below, I share my personal reasons for doing a home inspection before listing.
When preparing your home for sale, a pre-listing inspection is a great idea as it puts you in a better position from a negotiating standpoint. The inspection report will reveal any issues you may not be aware of, giving you the opportunity to fix those issues before the buyer’s inspector finds them. Fixing the issues up front can save you some money in the long run. Even if you choose not to repair anything, at least you can get quotes on the repairs and have that knowledge at hand when you’re presented with the due diligence repair request. On top of that, if the buyer asks for a credit, you’ll know whether what they are asking for is fair since you already have a quote.
A pre-listing inspection can also save you time when it comes to due diligence and negotiating repairs. When the buyer receives their inspection report, they will go through it and decide which items they are willing to fix, and which items they would like for you to fix. The report will be used for negotiation, which can add days to the due diligence period. It doesn’t always add time, but it can. In some cases where sellers have been willing to share the findings from the inspection with buyers, the buyers have decided not to have their own inspection done, in turn shortening due diligence altogether.
Having done an inspection before you list your home for sale also shows the buyer that you are proactive and that you care about the home. The best practice is transparency, as this helps to create trust between both parties.
In the video above, I suggest that you may not need to have a pre-listing inspection done in cases where improvements and upgrades have been completed. HOWEVER, that comment was made assuming you used licensed contractors and pulled the appropriate permits for those improvements! 😊 Let me be very clear about that!
A pre-listing inspection is just one optional step toward preparing your home for sale. Here are 5 more things you can do to prepare your home for sale.
If you’d like to look into having a home inspection done, get in touch with me – I work with some great inspectors in the area, and will be glad to connect you!
Check out our YouTube channel for more buyer and seller tips!