In the housing market, there is more to buying a home or selling a house. For the home seller looking to attract serious prospective buyers and real estate agents working hard to stand out in an ever-competitive industry, factors like interest rate, local market and sales price are considered to achieve an optimal real estate transaction.
Ultimately, the questions running through the minds of all parties involved are, “how can I increase the value of the property”, “how can I attract serious buyers to my property” and “how can I ensure a smooth, satisfying closure, for both buyers and sellers”? Before you consider putting your property on the market, we are going to expose a real estate marketing secret treasure that can enhance your selling journey and boost your profits – the Pre-Listing Inspection! Let us dive into why a property seller should seriously consider a pre-listing inspection and why a real estate professional should encourage it.
How a pre-listing inspection benefits the homeowner seller
Before you list your home or property with a listing agent or even find an agent, it is a good idea to carry out a pre-listing inspection and here are some reasons:
Maximize Your Home’s Value: According to the National Association of Realtors, “minor renovations yield an approximate $1.70 increase in your home’s value for every dollar you spend on the project.” That means if you spent the national average of $26,574 on a bathroom renovation for example, you could expect a 60.22% ROI.
A pre-listing inspection helps you identify and address any potential issues upfront. You can fix them before buyers walk through your front door. For every square footage of repair done, you increase your property’s value, and we ensure you get top dollar for your property.
No Surprises: The day of your open house would be the worst day to have prospective buyers point out problems. Nobody likes unexpected surprises, especially ones that drastically reduce the valuation of your property, during negotiations (that is even if you get to that point). Having a pre-listing inspection report available, you eliminate surprises and build trust with potential buyers. This transparency goes a long way in closing the deal.
Faster Sales Process: There are many great tips out there on how to expedite your home selling process. All these would be null if the property was not up to the standard your buyer was looking for. With a clean bill of health for your property, you’re more likely to attract serious buyers who are ready to make conclusive decisions. You don’t want your property to stay too long on the selling market, and a pre-listing inspection definitely helps significantly shorten that time.
Read Also: Inspection Tips For First Time Home Buyers
Better Control: With the information from a pre-listing inspection, we give you more control over who you contract the repairs and improvements to. Moreover, you are not under the pressure of a pending contract. Foreknowledge affords you the privilege of negotiating better deals with your desired contractors, saving you money.
Higher Confidence: Like any other product, the sales of a home needs confidence. The buyer or prospect is more likely to trust a seller or agent if they are confident about the property they are selling. While you want to keep an open mind as regards valuation, knowing your home’s true condition gives you the confidence to set a fair asking price. We help you remove the guessing games about what your property’s worth.
Attract Serious Buyers: As a seller, the necessary information on your property allows you to shape the buyer’s perspective. You would not have control over the real estate market, but you can impact the way people in the market take note of and are attracted to your property.
Social media and other property listing platforms may help publicizing your property, nothing aids smoother real estate transactions better than trust. If a seller is upfront about the condition of their home, they are more likely to attract serious buyers. When buyers see you have taken care of your property, this can lead to more competitive offers.
How a pre-listing inspection helps real estate agents.
To answer the question on how to stand out as a real estate agent, beyond the usual “tricks” of being an active listener, tactful, patient, adaptable and empathetic, one secret weapon for successful listings and making your job easier is encouraging your sellers to get a pre-listing inspection.
Here are other things you stand to gain as an agent by encouraging your seller to get a pre-listing inspection done:
Differentiate Yourself: While the choice is ultimately up to the seller to make, you stand out as unique and proactive by suggesting this. This also sets you up as being knowledgeable and dependable, not just interested in lining up your pocket but truly caring about your client. This boosts your reputation in the local market and sets you apart as different.
Reduce Liability: When you are done closing a deal, the last thing you need is a buyer-seller post sale dispute. Apart from being frustrating and ugly, it drags your credibility and repute through the mud. By encouraging a pre-listing inspection, you can help sellers uncover and address potential safety concerns, reducing the risk of post-sale disputes.
Boost Confidence: Many homeowners do not know the value of getting a pre-listing home inspection. If your property is among the few or is probably the only one with a pre-listing inspection, this gives your listing a competitive edge.
Buyers want a safe and secure property and with an inspection report in hand, you can confidently market the property.
Faster Closings: With fewer surprises during the buyer’s inspection, you’ll experience smoother transactions and a shorter closing time and who does not want that?
Whether you are in the market to buy or sell, why not reach out to us and let us work with you to schedule your pre-listing inspection in all of our service locations. Rest assured, you would be getting some of the most highly trusted, trained and reputable home inspectors.
