You are about list your home for sale and, of course, you are doing
everything you can think of to get your home in superb shape. You are cleaning
like a banshee, rearranging furniture like a professional home stager, and you
have even found some original paint and are touching up the hallway walls. But,
are there hidden problems that may keep you from getting top dollar for your
home? Sometimes, there are.
Let me tell you a story!
I was involved in a home sale several years ago where getting a pre-sale home
inspection could have saved my sellers $45,000! We had just listed this
immaculate home in one of Nashville 's most exclusive neighborhoods and
immediately received 2 full price offers. After a minor bidding war the sellers
accepted an offer worth $25,000 more than the original listing price (a record
for the neighborhood) and everyone was ecstatic! The buyers were excited to move
into this sought after address and the sellers were pleased to get top dollar
for their home...now for the rest of the story.
When the href="http://www.hummerhomes.com/home-inspection-info.htm">buyer's home
inspector came to inspect the property, everything went well until he took a
look at the crawl space located behind the finished basement. He found the area
was not draining properly and there seemed to be a "substance" that could be
mold on the ground. Well, when the potential buyers heard that the inspection
yielded a suspicious substance, they immediately cancelled the contract.
Our sellers were crushed. Since the home was only 5 years old, we immediately
called the home's custom builder to come over to inspect and fix the drainage
issue. Less than 6 hours later he called me back and informed me that he had
fixed the drainage issue and removed the suspicious substance. Naturally I asked
him how he fixed the problem so quickly and what in the world the substance was;
was there a mold problem?
He paused for a moment and replied, "I guess that when the home theatre guys
came in to install the system they must have pushed the gravel aside and
accidentally blocked the ground moisture drain pipe. All I had to do was dig out
the area and allow the water to drain properly. And, oh yeah, the suspicious
substance...that was part of a leftover sandwich or something and there was
definitely mold, but it was only on the bread (and then he giggled)."
I could not believe my ears! I called my home inspector and got him to go
over there to get a professional assessment and sure enough, no problems. The
home was re-listed at the original asking price and sat for 3 weeks before the
next offer came in at $20,000 less than asking price. By that time my sellers
had relocated to a new state and needed to sell the home. They accepted the
offer 'as is' and wrote off the loss to bad luck.
Now, I always recommend a pre-home sale inspection to all of my sellers. This
inspection will definitively tell you if there may be hidden problems prior to
receiving an offer. This inspection usually costs between $300 and $600
depending on the size of the home and is worth every single penny, if not
thousands.
A home inspector's report will review the condition of the home's heating
system, plumbing, electrical system and central air conditioning system
(temperature permitting), as well as the roof, attic, visible insulation, walls,
ceilings, floors, windows, doors, foundation, basement, crawl space, drainage,
landscaping, and visible structure.
10 Ways to Prepare for a Home Inspection:
1) Clean out dirty gutters or debris from your roof.
2) Divert all water away from the house (for example, downspouts, sump pump
discharge, condensation drain, etc.). Clean out basement entry drains.
3) Clean or replace HVAC filter.
4) Remove or grade mulch away from contact with siding (preferable 6-8 inches
of clearance).
5) Paint all weathered exterior wood and caulk around trim, chimneys, windows
and doors.
6) Make sure all windows and doors are in proper operating condition; replace
cracked windows.
7) Replace burned out light bulbs.
8) Make sure plumbing fixtures (toilet, tub showers, sinks) are in proper
working order (repair leaks).
9) Caulk all exterior wall penetrations.
10) Provide clear access to the attic, crawlspace, heat systems, garage and
other areas that will need to be inspected.