When moving house, many people are pressed to decide between the things they do and don’t want to do. For example, many people will forgo having a proper home inspection done, thinking that it’s easier and cheaper that way. However, a home inspection has numerous benefits for all parties involved. So here’s why you should really have a home inspection carried out before moving!
1. It can shine a light on major necessary repairs.
For someone trying to sell their old home, this might sound like the last thing you want to do, uncover more repairs which will take money and time. But if we’re being rational here, the more you leave these to go unnoticed, the more problematic that might become when you attempt to sell, as the faults of your property may be then discovered. So it’s unlikely that, as a seller, you’ll “get away” with them, anyway.
And as a prospective buyer, you want the home you’re considering to be professionally inspected precisely for this reason. Learning of problems on the property before anything is signed, you might be able to get the current owners to handle the repairs.
2. It can increase home value.
As the current owner, you want to have your home inspected professionally, and ideally, take care of any repairs that are deemed necessary. Because if you do, you will then be able to list your home for more, on the basis of having handled all these modern repairs.
Of course, the specific repairs that your home will need vary from place to place – you might need to install new appliances, get rid of mildew, or do something easy, like fix damaged blinds. The more things you check off the potential repairs list, the likelier you are to close a deal with your prospective buyers, and to get a higher sum for your property.
3. It can uncover unwanted house guests.
Calling a pest removal company like Squash Pest Control should also be on the agenda before selling/buying a house, as this is the most efficient way to ensure there are no unwanted animals on the premises.
While some wild animals will be more obvious about their intrusion, like a raccoon or a rat, others, like silverfish bugs or termites, may go unnoticed for weeks or months on end. We suggest that you visit getridofpests.com to learn more about silverfish bugs, and hire a professional wildlife or pest removal company before you buy/sell a house.
4. As a seller, it will positively impress buyers.
You might be thinking that a general home inspection isn’t really worth it for you, as a seller. You run the very real risk of uncovering serious damage that then needs to be addressed – if a recent home inspection revealed major problems, you will have to disclose these while selling your property. On top of that, you also have to put up the cost of the inspection itself, which might not sound like your idea of a good time. But there are also important advantages for you, the seller.
For instance, having had a recent home inspection done will positively impress potential buyers, and may get them to close faster, since it assures them the home is in proper condition. On the other hand, if you don’t have the home inspected, and they do (which they probably will), and then discover major problems, they may lose faith in you, and be less inclined to buy.
5. It leaves room for negotiation.
If the problems discovered during a home inspection aren’t major (and so, don’t completely put off the potential buyers), then this may leave room for some negotiation between the two parties. For instance, you as a seller might no longer need to handle all the repairs by yourself, while you, the buyer, are addressing some potentially serious concerns early on, which sounds like a win-win to us.
At the end of the day, whether or not you get a professional home inspection is completely up to you, but our advice would be that you get one, since it’s worth it. As a seller, it might mean you get to sell for more, while as a buyer, it avoids uncovering much bigger issues later on.
