Marty Millner
Should the seller pay to have house inspected, in Yardley & Newtown, Bucks County?
Should seller pay to inspect before house is on the market?
I realize that this may strike some real estate sellers as odd, but when I meet with clients who are considering selling their house, I often suggest that they pay for a home inspection, as part of the process of selling?
Why would a seller decide to do that? Isn’t the home inspection part of what the buyer pays for?
The answer is, yes, the buyer will most likely hire their own inspector, and will make their offer contingent on the outcome of that inspection.
The normal course of a real estate transaction, here in Yardley, Newtown and all over Bucks County, is that after the contract is signed, the buyer conducts a home inspection. The home inspection includes a complete and thorough evaluation of all systems and mechanical components of the house, including the roof, HVAC system, plumbing, etc.
Unfortunately, it is very common, that following the home inspection, there is another round of negotiations, covering who will pay for what repairs. In fact, the most likely cause of a real estate transaction not getting to closing, is the inability of the buyer and seller to negotiate the outcome of the inspection.
That gets me to my original point, which is that I often suggest to the seller, that they have a home inspection completed prior to putting their house on the market.
Here is the point. By doing their own inspection, the seller can make a calm decision as to what, if anything, they are going to fix. They are able to disclose those issues that come up that they are not going to fix. By doing that up front, they are often able to remove those elements from further negotiation, after a contract is presented. This can often save a great deal of stress, and in many cases, enables the seller to have a much smoother path to closing.
Although asking the seller to have a home inspection completed, prior to presenting the house to the market, may appear a bit counterintuitive, it is often a very succesful strategy, that gives the seller a much better chance to control the inspection process.
I would love to hear thoughts or comments.
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I am often asked by sellers if a home inspection is a good idea prior to listing their home and my answer is often an emphatic “YES”. As a home inspector with roughly 10 years of experience in SE Pennsylvania, I think knowing what deficiencies are present in your home prior to listing it is a great way to prioritize repairs as well as having a “heads up” regarding potential issues that may be raised by prospective buyers.
Mark Helbig
ASHI certified inspector
Member #214585
Mark;
Thanks for taking the time to reply to my post. I definitely agree, that it is often extremely helpful for the seller to understand with the issues are, before we deal with prospective buyers.