Pre-sale home inspections are part of just about every real estate transaction, and sometimes, what the inspectors uncover make the deal unacceptable to buyers.
As a seller, what do you need to know about home inspections?
How Home Inspections Work
The buyer usually hires a home inspector of his or her choosing to comb through every detail of your home. The inspector’s job is to evaluate everything and find out if there any structural issues or problems with its systems.
Inspections typically last a couple of hours, and during that time, the inspector will check a number of things in order to uncover any issues that may be present. The 10 most critical areas, according to the American Society of Home Inspectors, include:
1. Structure
2. Exterior
3. Roofing system
4. Plumbing system
5. Electrical system
6. Heating system
7. Air conditioning system
8. Interior
9. Insulation and ventilation
10. Fireplaces
The inspector’s report, which is generally several pages long, details everything he or she found during the inspection. Your inspector will use the report to note which problems need immediate attention and those that can lead to even more serious problems down the road.
Should the Seller Be Present During a Home Inspection?
You shouldn’t be there when your buyers’ home inspector arrives. What you can do, however, is make sure that you’ve fixed any existing issues before you even put your home on the market. Many sellers choose to hire a home inspector for themselves – and because inspections can often make or break deals, their services are invaluable to sellers.
If there are things you’re not willing to fix in order to sell your home, make sure the buyers know about them before they send out an inspector. Concealing a flaw in your home’s structure or systems can ruin your transaction, because you can be sure the inspector will discover it.
Thinking About Selling a Property in North Florida?
Call us at 386-243-0124 or contact us online. We routinely work with buyers who are looking for horse land, farmland and timberland in North Florida, and they trust us to keep them updated on the latest-and-greatest real estate listings.
