The question has come up often of late…should sellers be encouraged to have a pre-sale inspection or should they turn the other cheek and leave it to the buyer to fix. Being married to a home inspector myself, I feel almost like one from time to time and always have my trusty LED light in my hand when traipsing though dark, dirty basements.

If a seller has a pre-sale inspection, what causes a red flag to be raised and what should be repaired? The answer is quite simple…it’s up to the seller if they want to be bothered with repairs on a house they are planning on selling. In a more positive light, a seller who has always had pride of ownership will want to know what is problematic prior to sale to avoid issues with inspection when the time comes.

A home inspector may find large issues that are easily corrected such as a boiler that needs replacing, roof replacement or significant issues such as a tilted chimney or structural issues. Simple repairs such as missing wood shingles, broken steps, leaky faucets are noted however not a major concern in the sale of a property.

Once a real estate agent knows of any problems with the property, they must be disclosed to potential buyers. The buyer can make an informed decision if they want to tackle any unresolved repairs. Sellers are requested to fill out a Seller’s Disclosure Statement and make it available to buyers with or without a pre-sale inspection.

This can be handled in a few ways. A pre-sale inspection is done and all is great…make the inspection report available to those interested parties. A pre-sale inspection is done and serious issues are discovered that the seller will not correct…make these issues known to potential buyers and the list price can be reflective of the current issues. A pre-sale inspection is performed and the seller corrects any and all flaws the house presented with during inspection… list price is reflective of repairs.

A pre-sale inspection is purely the seller’s choice. If you have been thinking of selling your home, give consideration before having a pre-sale inspection. You may not want to open up that can of worms!

Written by Laura S. Rossinow, Broker/ Agent, Keller Williams Realty