If you think you’ve sold your home, congratulations, but a word of caution: you still need to navigate the home inspection. After you have negotiated a price with your potential buyer, your property will be examined for flaws and repairs by a local inspector. Depending on what the inspector finds, the buyer may give you a list of repair requests and could even back out of the offer if the damage they find is significant enough. So, how can you ensure smooth sailing at this stage of the selling process? Here’s how.
Talk with your agent about any damage you know about in advance
Being upfront about the flaws in your home and what you’ve done to remedy them in the past can reduce any surprises on inspection day. This shows you off as a proactive homeowner, and is information your agent needs to help you get the best offer.
Communicate with your buyers
Each buyer is different, and some may prefer to deal with the repairs on their own, rather than having you do them, so make sure to communicate upfront. Additionally, the buyer may want to simply negotiate a monetary credit rather than go through the hassle of repairing before they move in, but you won’t know until you ask.
Don’t be afraid to negotiate
There is always the potential that you may foot the bill for the flaws the inspection finds, or that your buyer might back out of the deal if they find unsatisfactory defects. Having an inspection report of your own can help you in some of these cases, and keeping the lines of communication open throughout the process will hopefully alleviate any shock from both sides.
Schedule a home inspection before putting your home on the market
If your home hasn’t been inspected in a few years, or since you bought it, you may consider having it inspected before the buyer does to clear up any potential hazards. The buyer’s inspector will take a look at things like insulation, foundation, HVAC and kitchen equipment safety, plumbing and electrical systems, as well as the state of the doors, windows, and exterior of the home. Knowing the status of these essential areas will benefit you in the long run.
In the end, if you’ve gotten to this stage in the buying process the other party is clearly interested in your home, and it’s usually a matter of crossing a few T’s and dotting a few I’s. Stay calm, be open about what you know, and hopefully you’ll have your house sold in no time!
At HighTek Home Inspections, we work with both home buyers and home sellers to ensure everyone is armed with reliable, fair information about the property. Everything about HighTek Home Inspections is unique, from the advanced technological techniques to the unmatched commitment to customer service.
Our insured, InterNACHI®-certified inspectors use the most comprehensive line of state-of-the-art tools and equipment to help us gather information other home inspectors can’t. Best of all? Our prices are comparable to those other inspectors. If you’re in the Greater Cincinnati, Hamilton or Dayton, Ohio area, check out our services and prices, then schedule your home inspection today! For more tips and our latest updates, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, SPECTORA or Instagram.
