Top-Notch San Diego Pre-Listing Home Inspection Service

Should a home seller get an inspection?

Most homebuyers, especially first-time homebuyers, are going to take a number of precautions before committing to a real estate purchase. Whether they’re making an offer on a used mobile home or an on-site built property, a pre-listing home inspection (also known as a pre-sale inspection) can help indicate whether they are about to make a worthwhile investment.

A pre-listing inspection will give you the best perspective of your home through a critical and neutral third party lens. Knowing what others may see or may be looking for ahead of time will leave plenty of room for proper preparation when moving forward in a real estate transaction.

The Inspectors Company team is ready to help! You can count on us to perform a pre-listing home inspection service at a competitive rate and provide an honest report with the aim of helping you reach an informed decision in your best interest.

How does the seller benefit from a pre-listing home inspection in San Diego?

A pre-listing home inspection will:

• Alert you to immediate safety issues or concerns prior to showings,
• Give you the time to perform repairs,
• Help expedite the obtainment of the Use and Occupancy Permit,
• Offer realistic price qualifications,
• Provide reassurance to prospective buyers: a conducted pre-listing home inspection relieves concerns and/or suspicions,
• Help reduce your liability by adding professional supporting documentation of a seller’s home inspection to your disclosure statement.

What are the benefits of a pre-listing home inspection to the buyer?

To the prospective buyer, the benefits of a seller’s home inspection are plenty:

• A pre-listing inspection offers peace of mind,
• Letting the buyer know what to expect (financially, emotionally, time-wise, etc.),
• Giving the buyer some negotiating power,
• Giving the seller time to prepare and offer the buyer a better deal (whether by lowering their asking price or completing the necessary repairs),
• Offering a more realistic view of the property.

What does a pre-listing home inspection imply?

A pre-listing home inspection can be equally beneficial for both parties in a real estate transaction because it increases the chances that the two will build rapport and close the deal successfully. For one thing, this initial inspection is likely to make negotiations easier by helping both parties battle uncertainty, relieve tension and reduce stress.

What’s more, the fact that the seller was responsible enough to schedule a pre-listing home inspection will boost the buyer’s confidence in the seller who will come off as a responsible, forward-thinking homeowner. 

Finally, once the seller receives the pre-listing home inspection report, they are likely to take meaningful action in an effort to better prepare for the buyer’s home inspection. This, too, is in the buyer’s best interest.

What does the pre-listing home inspection checklist include?

A pre-listing home inspection checklist will cover the major systems of every home. These can be summed up as follows:

• Foundation, basement, and/or crawl space,
• Plumbing system,
• Electrical system,
• Heating and air conditioning systems,
• Doors, windows, walls, ceilings, stairs,
• Roof structure and coverings,
• Miscellaneous (e.g. smoke detectors),
• Yard inspection (if applicable).

The scope of a pre-listing home inspection is the same as the scope of a buyer’s home inspection.

Do sellers get a copy of home inspection reports?

A pre-listing home inspection, unlike the more common buyer’s home inspection, is scheduled and paid for by the house seller. The resulting report belongs to the seller as well. Following the inspection, we will promptly issue your copy of the pre-listing inspection report.

What should the seller do with this report?

As a seller, it’s completely up to you what you do with the pre-listing inspection report:

• Offer it as a resource to potential buyers,
• Use it as a reference when speaking with potential contractors for repairs,
• Consider it in your pricing recalculations,
• Add the information to the listing,
• Need a quick run down? Our verbal home inspection service may be for you.

The purpose of the inspection report

The report will list any current or anticipated issues, however minor. The purpose of the report is to bring you up to speed so you can have realistic expectations and plan your future steps accordingly.

You will also get the opportunity to ask follow-up questions. Once your inspectors clarify certain matters, you will find that making the decision on whether performing the repairs by yourself would be a worthwhile investment or if you should proceed with the sale as-is. 

Specialized inspections

Sometimes your inspector will advise you to conduct additional inspections. For instance, you’ll want to schedule a mold inspection if there are visual signs of mold and mildew, since the prospect of having to deal with mold could be a deal-breaker that may deter prospective buyers.

What should a seller do before a home inspection?

As a seller, you are not required to be present during the pre-listing home inspection, but you might want to stick around and see your inspectors in action, as this will: 

• give you a better insight into the state of your home,
• allow you to develop a deeper understanding of any issues, 
• enable you to take actions so as to increase your home’s value, price and overall marketability. 

How do you prepare for a pre-listing home inspection?

As far as the preparation prior to the inspection goes, let us put your mind at ease straight away: The Inspectors Company team will not require you to take any action. However, if you wish, you can help speed things up before we show up at your home. 

After we go over all the steps on our pre-listing home inspection checklist with you, you will get a better idea of what to expect during the inspection. You can then help clear the area and the perimeter surrounding the house to give us free access.