Seller Home Inspection
Talk about why you need to do a home inspection before you sell.
Talk about why you need to do a home inspection before you sell.
When you go to sell a house, you usually pretty well know what has been done in terms of repairs, and what is remaining to be done or might have to be done in the future. Most states require a due diligence disclosure for what might need done, or the age of an appliance that might need replaced – but all do not, and every real estate contract is different. Some sellers disclose as little as possible, or try to get away with not talking about something they think may mess up a potential sale. If you are selling a home “as is” and it is clearly stated, it is the responsibility of the buyer to exercise due diligence. However, if you want a smooth closing with little quibble in negotiating a fair price for your home, you need to know, and disclose the facts of the property.
Often homeowners know quite a bit about the touchy furnace that won’t keep the igniter lit, or a water heater that has seen better days. There are times, though, when a seller does not know everything that is pertinent to the condition of a home. This is particularly true with inherited property, often prone to have had repairs let go, or investment parcels. Getting a house inspected by a knowledgeable home inspector gives you a thorough, documented statement of what is fine, what needs attention, and what might become a problem. This way you can be proactive and take care of the issues that could potentially reduce the amount of net sale proceeds back to you, and also provide you a more accurate idea of selling points or challenges, as well as negotiating points, during a real estate transaction.
Colorado in general and the Colorado Springs region in particular are seeing strong home sales that are only now starting to level off. This means that it is a seller’s market, with many homes going into a bid status and closing at above original listing price. A solid home inspection that can prove your home’s condition to both a potential buyer and the lending institution, and can generate more activity, higher offers, and a faster sale for your property.
When you are hiring a home inspection company to make a thorough report on your property, you need to verify the experience and certification of the inspectors, as well as the reputation of the company. Axios Home Inspections is based in Colorado Springs and has many years of experience in many areas of home inspection, including general overall reviews, mold, water damage, radon, sewer scoping, and other key structural component inspections. All our inspectors are certified and we maintain professional affiliations that keep us up to date on issues, legal changes, and things that we need to be watching for during any inspection. We document each and every component of a home inspection so you can see, as well as read the report, about what we find.
Home inspections are increasingly required in most residential real estate transactions, and are pretty much mandatory for any property being considered for financing. The financial institution wants to know they are lending money on a property that is worth what the appraisal states, and that there are no significant issues that will affect the value of the collateral, or potentially cause financial hardships for the person getting the mortgage if major unexpected repairs are required soon after the purchase of the property.
Sometimes it is a good idea to get a home inspection done, even if you are not immediately selling. A good home inspector is neutral, and not trying to sell you a major repair, such as a roof or new HVAC system. Their job is to inspect and assess the condition of your roof, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, windows and doors, flooring, and other major components. They will look for structural damage, mold, water damage, or other issues that could indicate hidden problems that could be expensive to fix in the future. They will check the exterior cladding or surface on your home, look for telltale wet, green, or sunken spots in your yard that might indicate sewer line or water supply issues, and will look at the intake valves or pump supply from your municipal water or private well.
Appliances like water heaters, water softeners, humidifiers, whole house filtration systems, and other components may also be included in the inspection list, depending on the inspector and what is listed by the given inspection company. Axios Home Inspections always supplies a written quote for any home inspection, and you will know exactly what will be looked at in advance of any work done. There are some things that a regular house inspection does not cover, and might be important to have done in advance, especially if you are listing your home for sale. Those include, but are not limited to, pest and vermin reports, mold inspections, sewer line scoping, radon testing, water and well testing, and wind load rating certification for roofs. Axios does radon testing and mold inspections, and sewer line scoping, and we are certified by the State of Colorado for radon and mold. If you think you may require those reports to be available during a real estate transaction, we can do those in conjunction with a full home inspection at a reduced rate. Call us or send in our online contact form. A prepared seller that has good home inspection reports creates rapport up front with integrity and transparency about their property, which almost always leads to higher offers on your property. Let’s get started getting your reports taken care of and your property sold.
