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Home Inspection & the Home
by Mike Conley      A national survey conducted by a major franchise found that homes with a pre-listing home inspection sold in one third less time than comparable homes on the market. In addition, they sold for 3% to 9% premium sales dollars. What is a pre-listing home inspection? It is when the seller has his or her home inspected prior to listing it for sale and addresses or discloses all or part of the defects found.
     In Florida of course due to our location and the market generally, we tend to not have houses sitting around for very long once they are listed with an agent. In addition, for the same reason, there has been a marked increase in For Sale by Owner sales in the last few years. This is when no agent is used; a homeowner chooses to sell his or her home without the benefit of a real estate agent. There is also the For Sale by Owner approach when an agent is used, but only for fulfilling the paper work involved in the sale. The marketing, appointments and negotiating are left to the owners.
     Home buying is one of the biggest and most important investments anyone can make. A home inspection helps assure that an investment of this magnitude is a wise and happy one. An awareness of exactly what you are buying can help ease the anxiety associated with purchasing a home.
     From the seller's point of view, an inspection sheds light on any hidden defects that might be present prior to the sale, when time is not a factor. Knowing in advance the condition of your home can save you time and money by addressing these issues well before the count down begins that leads to closing. Even if no problems are found, a home inspection can offer an opportunity to talk with a knowledgeable professional who knows houses, how the systems and components interact with each other, and how they go together. There are virtually thousands of components and hundreds of systems that make up a typical home.
     Sellers should keep in mind that a home inspection is not pass or fail neither is it a building code inspection. Inspectors are also not concerned with good housekeeping. We are simply there to describe its current condition. Systems and components fail to a greater or lesser degree depending on quality of product, maintenance scheduling, upkeep, use or lack of use, age, and inevitability. In addition, there are positive aspects of a home that can be highlighted as well. Location, access, boatdock or seawall, oceanfront, bay front, swimming pool, remodeled kitchen or baths, energy efficiency. These all contribute to adding value to a home that should be weighed against any defects found.
     Lastly, a professional inspector can offer tips on necessary maintenance to keep all systems and components in good working order.
     An inspector knows how the home's many systems work together and can tell the seller how to minimize the damaging affects of sun and rain, heat and humidity, or lack of regular maintenance. On average, we spend about 80% of our time in our homes. This vital information can not only impact the home but may increase the future selling price, and will also impact our health and environmental quality of our home.