Part 4 When it Comes to Selling Your Home…

Part 4 When it Comes to Selling Your Home…

Continuing the conversation… about selling your house and what you can/should be doing to plan and prepare ahead of time so thar you can get the best results down the road. We’re talking about inspections: Why they’re important and which ones you should be doing NOW, if you are shooting for a list date next year. Here’s where to start…

Home inspection: Think general overview like an annual physical exam at the doctors. Get a read on the baseline condition of your home and a punch list of small fixes needed. If more serious questions arise about systems like HVAC, electrical, plumbing, foundation, you can get a specialist to dig a little deeper.

Structural Pest Control Inspection a.k.a. Termite Inspection. So much hype and so many misconceptions about termites have been passed down through the years, many folks still think they have to tent their house in order to sell it. Let’s save the larger discussion about all things termite for later, for now, suffice to say, the Termite Lobby stokes lots of fear because it’s good for business.

The thought of doing these and other additional inspections months in advance of the target listing date is one of the first places that ambivalent sellers usually start balking. Here are their two most common objections:

Don’t inspections cost money? Yes they do, but that’s just part of the ante if you want to get into the game. Spending $1,000 on inspections in a place where the average home price is $1,400,000 qualifies as both a small price to pay and also a very wise investment.

Don’t buyers want to do their own inspections? Sometimes but not always. It depends a lot on how many offers you get. Either way, there are still overwhelming reasons to have your own inspections first. Like:

If there are big things wrong with your house, it’s better to know before you are in escrow. Knowing what’s wrong with your house offers the chance to fix things ahead of time. Repairs or improvements cost less when you aren’t in a hurry. Even if you don’t fix something, you can still gather information that leaves you less vulnerable to renegotiation. If you do inspections and everything is in great shape, it helps you get a higher price. Getting upfront inspections informs your disclosure process and reduces your liability.

For those who missed my recent free talk for homeowners who are thinking about selling in the next few years, I’m offering a make-up session at my office on Thursday, December 12th from 2-4pm. If you are interested in attending, call me at 831-818-1431 or email getreal@sereno.com to reserve a spot.