Get a Pre-List Home Inspection If You Want Top Dollar For Your Home With The Least Amount Of Hassles!

Do you like bad surprises? Especially if it hits you in the pocketbook? Putting your home on the market without a home inspection of your own could lead to surprises that can cost you time and money.

More often than not, the surprise will not be a pleasant one.

Yes, you are already thinking about how less your house is worth now than it was six months or a year ago. No one wants to put more money into a house they are getting ready to sell. The price is already lower than what you want. But you have to consider the chances that spending more money on repairs may be the thing that will make or break your odds of getting it sold quickly and at the best price. If you think about it, it just makes sense to spend the extra money. Why?

Your real estate agent can see cosmetic changes that may need to be made, like painting the walls a more neutral color or switching out the kitchen cabinet knobs to give it a more modern feel. That is fine, and may boost the price quite a bit. But an inspector is trained to look at the "bones"- the foundation, the plumbing, the furnace, and the roof - all of the big things that can halt a sale in its tracks.

Most buyers will get an inspector of their own to inspect your house and note detail by detail what is right and what is wrong. Either the buyers are required to by their bank or lending institution, or they do so voluntarily because they are wary of what is out there on the market because they are more savy than in the past. They know it is a buyers market so they can scrutinize and analyze every detail.They will test windows, flush toilets, listen for squeaky hinges, and notice cracks. Remember they will be comparing your house to 5 to 10 others.

Spending the time and effort to have your house pre-listing inspected tells the buyer and their agent that you care how your house compares to the others on the market. It proves you have maintained it and that you want top dollar for it. When it comes to the offer/counter offer portion of the selling process, you'll have a huge bargaining chip in your pocket. Giving the buyer and their real estate agent those details about its condition will put your house ahead of all the others because they will know it is in top notch condition and future repairs will be minimal. It makes the house more turn-key, and most buyers in today's economy want that. Giving great value justifies a top price and leaves very little room for argument.

A pre-listing home inspection shows a tremendous good-faith factor. Showing the buyer the detailed home inspection up front proves you are not trying to hide anything from them and will gain you respect with them. They will respect you and will be more comfortable dealing with you. It will make their decision to buy from you seem like the best thing for them to do over your competition.

Finally, there will be no surprises when their home inspector walks in the door. You have enough stress in your life when it comes to selling your home.Why add to it? Having total knowledge of your home will help you and your agent get a better picture of what a fair market price for your home is. You can decide which repairs will add value and you can have peace of mind when the buyers walk through your house, it will stand out from all the others.

No surprises means more money in your pocket.