During a recent real estate continuing education class a discussion started about how, in North Carolina, our listing agreement has been changed to include, amongst many other things, the option for the seller to advise intent to have a home inspection performed. This is a fairly new idea and one that is met with resistance by both some sellers and a few agents alike.

On first blush, all parties might agree: Why should the seller pay for something the buyer should do for themselves? It also is true that whatever home inspection a seller gets, no matter how thorough and from how reputable an inspector, the buyer’s equally reputable and thorough inspector may find different issues. But, frankly, there are “issues” and there are ISSUES. A good inspection at the beginning should reveal items that would most likely turn up through the buyer’s inspection and should rightfully be addressed. I’ve written on this before, oh so pithily. Let’s face it, you as a seller may be able to ignore the leak in the upstairs bathroom, but the buyer’s home inspector won’t. And neither will the buyer.

So, having your home pre-inspected can make very good sense for a seller. I’ve advised clients for years that, as exciting as the home selling/buying process is, what you don’t want it to be is made up of surprises. You want a nice, happy, uneventful transaction. There’s enough inherent adrenaline-producing steps in a smooth sale that no one needs extras. Finding out the crawl space shows a rotten floor joist is something you want to know before a freaked out buyer is demanding it be repaired. Any who wants a rotten floor joist, even if you’re NOT selling, right? This is your house, for crying out loud.

Also, when there are legitimate repair issues, better to address them, and be able to show prospective buyers what a conscientious homeowner you are and avoid the inevitable. Not only that, but it shows you have nothing to hide. Let’s all admit that one of the biggest challenges to the home buying/selling process is everyone’s fear of being taken. Anything a seller can do to show a bright light on things goes towards relieving the buyer’s anxiety.

Granted, there are situations where a seller simply doesn’t have the money to make repairs. But even then, knowing what lies ahead helps you plan accordingly.

Again, avoiding surprises is good.

In the Greensboro area, a home inspection will cost around $350, depending on the age and size of the home. Could be more or less. A good home inspector will provide your report in a very timely manner – within 24 hours – and it will be detailed with copious digital photos of all repair items. There will also be notes about what is not a repair issue but a “keep an eye on” issue.

By the way, above I mentioned that some Realtors don’t agree with the idea of the seller’s getting home inspections in advance. I have to say I feel the reasons some agents object are the types of attitudes that don’t enhance our image. Some think it’s a waste of their client’s money as the buyer will get their own. That seems short sighted to me, for reasons already stated.

But some agents feel (**shiver**) that they don’t want to find out anything that then becomes a material fact about the property which they themselves must then reveal to all parties.

This makes me sad.

The real estate industry has come a very long way from the caveat emptor days when buyers were on their own. Agents should be advising their clients – both buyers and sellers – of the best way to achieve their goals in the smoothest, most sensible and, yes, most ethical, manner possible. The vast majority of agents do. There are a few who need to consider getting into another line of business. Say, selling Ginzu knives door to door.

Back to seller: There’s really no downside to getting your own home inspection when putting our house on the market. A fairly small investment of money gets you a lot of information and can enhance your position in this very competitive market. Show buyers you have nothing to hide. Heck, you’d probably get your car detailed and have a tune-up in order to get the best price when selling.

Tune up your house.

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If you have questions, comments or a good joke to share shoot me an email.  I’m a full time Realtor®, I love what I do and would be thrilled to hear from you.

The opinions I express here are just that – my opinions. The lovely gentlemen who own Yost & Little Realty have nothing to do with what I write. They tolerate me, but they didn’t raise me. So don’t blame them.

Tags: Greensboro real estate, home inspections, Yost & Little

There are many misconceptions and myths in life: shaving your eyelashes will make them grow back thicker; cheap vodka tastes just as good as higher shelf brands; dogs don’t judge you and sellers have to make repairs to any issues that come up in a home inspection.

I’ve seen the lie put to all these, but will focus only on the inspection piece for now.

A common belief of home buyers is that a home inspection is a to-do list for sellers. That a seller is required  to correct all items noted.

This is even further from the truth than the one about cheap vodka.

A thorough home inspection will note all manner of things from lots of cracks in the concrete driveway to the fact that the roof is within a few years of needing to be replaced to faulty GFCI outlets in the 2nd bathroom. And many items will be ones that a prudent buyer will want corrected.

Some are things a prudent home buyer needs to realize are what comes with owning your own home.

And of the repairs one should request, their is no rule or law that says a seller must make them. Repair requests are negotiated, just as are the price and other initial terms of the contract. And, as any seasoned Realtor can tell you, deals fall apart over repair negotiations as often as over who will pay the closing costs.

Now, this is not to say buyers shouldn’t expect the house they’re hoping to own be in good repair before they sign closing documents. It’s just that there is no guarantee that sellers will be willing, or able, to make repairs. If a seller has been beaten down on price and other terms, there may simply be no more blood in that turnip.

How to determine which repairs request are reasonable? The guiding question needs to be “is the system or item performing the function for which it is intended”? A roof may be 15 years old and the case could be made that it is approaching the end of its useful life. But a roof has pretty much one job and that is to keep rain out of the house. If the roof isn’t leaking and isn’t a made up of a bunch of cracked shingles, it’s performing the job for which it is intended.

A cracked heat exchanger in a furnace, on the other hand, needs to be corrected. Leaks, wood destroying insects, dry rot, mis-wired electrical outlets. There’s a smorgasbord of issues homes can have. And one would hope and expect that a seller who wants to sell will agree to do the right thing. Most do.

Some don’t. Or won’t. Or simply can’t.

It is at that point a buyer needs to look long and hard a property and ask if they can handle the issues or if they would simply be buying someone else’s problems.

So inspect early. Ask your lender if she or he can hold off ordering the appraisal – for which you have to pay – until after inspections are completed and any repair requests are negotiated. Above all, try to keep your head although it’s hard to do when going through such an emotional experience.

And don’t play air guitar in front of your dog in your bathrobe. You will be judged. I’ll never get over that look on Piper’s face.

Tags: home inspections, repair request