Some home sellers are against having a home inspection before they put the house up for sale. The reason is quite understandable – if any issues arise, the seller has to disclose them to a potential buyer.
This is why some real estate agents advise sellers not to disclose the issues until the sale is almost done. This way, the seller’s part of the bargain is fulfilled, but the buyer got the time to get attached to the house, so he/she would be more willing to ignore the issues or to accept them.
Whatever your opinion on this is, a home inspection is a wise choice. Here are 6 reasons why you should have it in any case:
1. Fewer reasons to lower the price
If you have a home inspection and the house has some issues, any real estate agent will advise you not to spend money on repairs. It’s better just to inform the buyer of the problems and let them know how much the repairs will cost.
The reason behind this is that you don’t know what changes the buyer is planning to do. Maybe he plans to replace the roof with something closer to their taste. If you have already found damages there, your repairs and the money spent would be in vain.
2. Deal with the easy fixes
If you personally believe that your house doesn’t need any fixes as it’s in the best condition possible, you’re in for a surprise once a home inspector arrives. These professionals are trained to notice problems that are invisible to a layman. There will definitely be a lot of minor issues, such as popping laminates, all around the house. However, these problems are not the ones that should remain unfixed because. They won’t cost you much and they will prevent a potential buyer from walking away. Buyers aren’t professionals so they can’t know how serious the problems with the house is. You are risking losing a client just because you were too lazy to deal with a minor problem.
3. Safety and health hazards
Home inspection allows you to know if there are any safety or health hazards in the house, so you can protect yourself and potential buyers. You will sleep peacefully if you know that there’s no part of the house that could be dangerous to a buyer. How would you feel if a buyer breaks their leg during the open house because you fail to replace the old wooden floor in a room? It’s one thing not be aware of the squeaking window, but it’s a completely different issue if there are damages to the ceiling, threatening a part of it to collapse.
4. Termites and other pests
Mice are not a pleasant view for buyers. Most people hate them, but they are just one of the possible pest problems. The pests you don’t get to see are termites, and they can cause far greater damage than mice. Additional home inspection includes pest and termite control, during which a pest inspector can also identify dry rot, caused by fungi. Fungi can ultimately lead to wood disintegration, and this is definitely not the trouble you want to get the buyer into. Dealing with pests only takes a day or two, but the benefits are incomparable.
5. Asbestos
In case your house was built before 1975, it’s possible that asbestos will be found in the house in its building materials. The trouble with asbestos is that, if it begins to crumble, it can be very hazardous. This isn’t something you should leave to the buyer. The issues with asbestos are frequently present in the basement, but the scary thing that it could be hiding anywhere in the house materials.
6. Giving buyers the confidence
Concentrating on the buyers, they are more prone to give an offer on the house if they know that you’ve had the house inspected. People like when the owner has been thorough and fair before putting the house up for sale, so chances are they will be more likely to be interested in the house of a responsible owner.
All in all
In short, a home inspection will equally give you a peaceful sleep at night, while making your house more attractive to buyers. You will definitely get more out of it than loosing.