Should You Opt for a Pre-Listing Inspection? An Essential Guide for Home Sellers

0:00Welcome back to my Real Estate Podcast with David Libertor. I'm your host, and today we're diving into something that I think a lot of home sellers don't even think about until it's too late, pre-listing inspections.

0:13David, thanks so much for being here. Hey, thanks for having me. I'm really excited to talk about this, because it's honestly one of the smartest moves a seller can make, and yet so many people skip right over it.

0:31Great question. So a pre-listing inspection is basically you as the seller hiring an inspector to come through your home before you even list it.

0:41It's your own inspection on your terms before any buyers are involved. Then the buyer will typically still do their own inspection after they make an offer.

0:50So you're getting ahead of the game. Oh, wow. So you're essentially finding all the problems yourself first, and then you're going to go You're essentially finding all the problems yourself first.

1:00I can see how that would be really valuable, but walk me through why a seller would actually want to do that. Doesn't that just give you bad news? That's the thing.

1:09Yeah, you might find issues, but here's the power play. You get to control the narrative. You find out what's wrong before anyone else does. Then you have options.

1:20You can fix it. You can price accordingly. You can disclose it up front. Or you can use that inspection report to negotiate better terms.

1:29But the buyer's inspector is going to find those things anyway, and then you're scrambling. Right, right. So it's like you're taking the punch before it lands, instead of getting blindsided during negotiations.

1:40That actually makes a ton of sense. So what kind of issues are we talking about here? Like, what do inspectors typically find? Everything from roof condition, HVAC systems, plumbing, electrical, the big stuff that costs money.

1:54But also smaller things like water damage, foundation cracks, pest issues. Honestly, most homes have something. The question is whether you know about it or not.

2:03So if you do find something major, like, I don't know, a roof that needs replacing, what's your strategy then? Do you fix it before listing, or do you just lower the price?

2:14It depends on the issue and the market. Sometimes fixing it actually adds more value than it costs, especially for big ticket items like a roof. Other times, it makes more sense to adjust your asking price and let the buyer decide.

2:28But the key is, you're making that decision strategically, not reactively during negotiations when a buyer's inspector finds it. That's smart.

2:37So you're basically removing surprises from the equation. What about the buyer's perspective? Do they see the pre-listing inspection report? You can choose to disclose it.

2:47Many sellers do, because it actually builds trust. You're showing, hey, I was transparent about my home from the start. It can actually speed up the sale because buyers aren't as nervous, but you're not obligated to share it.

3:01You just have to disclose known issues, which you'd do anyway. Oh, I love that. Transparency as a selling point.

3:07So bottom line, who should actually be doing this? Is it worth the cost for everyone, or are there certain situations where it makes more sense? I'd say it's especially smart if your home is older, if you're in a competitive market, or if you know there are issues you want to get ahead of.

3:24It costs a few hundred bucks for the inspection, but it can save you thousands in negotiations or help you sell faster. In my opinion, it's almost always worth it.

3:34That's really practical advice. David, this has been super helpful. I think a lot of sellers are going to reconsider whether they should do this.

3:44Thanks so much for breaking it down. Thanks for having me. It's one of those things that seems like extra work up front, but it really pays off in the long run.