Since 85% of home buyers request a home inspection you, the seller, need to know the facts. Usually the home inspection is during the closing process and integrated into the purchase contract. In fact, most purchase contracts include a home inspection contingency clause stipulating that the buyer can back out if repairs and replacements aren’t made according to the findings of the inspection.

Take the stress out of the crazy closing process and invest in your home inspection before your home even hits the market. A common home inspection will take 2-3 hours and costs anywhere from $200 – $800. That’s a small price to pay in the grand scheme of your home sale so get ahead of the game and invest in a pre-sale inspection now.

BENEFITS OF A PRE-SALE INSPECTION:

1. The seller can choose a certified home inspector rather than be at the mercy of the buyer’s choice of home inspector.
2. The seller can schedule the inspections at the seller’s convenience.
3. It might alert the seller of any items of immediate personal concern, such as a loose electrical ground or damaged chimney flashing.
4. The seller can assist the home inspector during the inspection, something normally not done during a buyer’s inspection.
5. The seller can have the home inspector correct any misstatements in the inspection report before it is generated.
6. The home inspection report can help the seller realistically price the home if problems exist.
7. The report can help the seller substantiate a higher asking price if problems don’t exist or have been corrected.
8. A seller inspection reveals problems ahead of time which could:
   1. Make the home show better.
   2. Give the seller time to make repairs and shop for competitive contractors.
   3. Permit the seller to attach repair estimates or paid invoices to the inspection report.
   4. Remove over-inflated buyer procured estimates from the negotiation table.
9. The inspectors report might alert the seller to any immediate safety issues found, before agents and visitors tour the home.
10. The home inspectors report provides a third-party, unbiased opinion to offer to potential home buyers
11. A seller inspection permits a clean home inspection report to be used as a marketing tool.
12. A seller inspection is the ultimate gesture in forthrightness on the part of the seller.
13. The home inspectors report might relieve prospective buyer’s unfounded suspicions, before they walk away.
14. A seller home inspection lightens negotiations and 11th-hour re-negotiations.
15. The report might encourage the buyer to waive the inspection contingency.
16. The deal is less likely to fall apart the way they often do when a buyer’s home inspection unexpectedly reveals a problem, last minute.
17. The home inspection report provides full-disclosure protection from future legal claims.

Copies of the home inspection report along with receipts for any repairs should be made available to potential home buyers.

WHAT DOES THE HOME INSPECTION COVER?

Here is a checklist of the major structural and mechanical components a professional will inspect in your home. Each home inspection service may offer something a little different but these are the basics that you’ll need to get checked out from a licensed inspector:

• Roof, vents, flashings & trim
• Gutters & downspouts
• Skylight, chimney & other roof penetrations
• Decks, stoops, porches, walkways & railings
• Eaves, soffit & fascia
• Grading & drainage
• Basement, foundation & crawlspace
• Water penetration & foundation movement
• Heating & Cooling systems
• Cooling systems
• Main water shut off valves
• Water heating system
• Interior plumbing fixtures & faucets
• Drainage sump pumps with accessible floats
• Electrical service line & meter box
• Main disconnect & service amperage
• Electrical panels, breakers & fuses
• Grounding & bonding
• Fireplace damper door & hearth
• Insulation & ventilation
• Garage doors, safety sensors & openers

*Keep in mind that in South Carolina, it is highly recommend to have a pest/termite inspection (CL-100) completed. This inspection is done by a separate inspector that specializes in CL-100 inspections.

ADDITIONAL INSPECTIONS?:

Outside of the standard pre-sale inspections, there are some extra things you can have checked. Ask your inspector if they’re licensed to inspect these areas and what the additional costs would be. If you choose not to have them done pre-listing, you’ll at least have an idea of how much it will cost to get them inspected in your new home!

INDOOR AIR QUALITY (IAQ)

MOLD IN CRAWL SPACES AND LIVING SPACES

METHAMPHETAMINE TESTING

The inspection of air and surface samples in your home for mold, fungi, bacteria, asbestos, allergens and methamphetamine (“crystal meth” or “meth”) residue. The presence of mold, VOC’s, and other micro-debris inside a house is of great interest to a lot of folks. Some people have real concerns due to a compromised respiratory system (asthma, severe allergies, etc.). The Center for Disease Control (CDC) article linked HERE contains some pretty level-headed, factual information.

HOW TO PREP FOR THE HOME INSPECTION?

There’s not much you need to do in order to prepare for your home inspection. The main thing is to make sure you have clear and clean access to key appliances the inspector will be looking at (i.e. furnace, water heater & circuit breaker, etc). This is a great way to prepare your home for a sale because it’s important to have your house deep cleaned before any buyers walk through the door. The structural and mechanical components of your house will be inspected and on display quite a bit while the home is for sale, so cleaning them up now is a good idea.

KNOW YOUR INSPECTOR:

Be certain that which ever inspector you choose is trained, knowledgeable, and unbiased. If you would like to pursue surface or air testing in a home ask them if they’re able to provide you with a cost effective plan, where the sample analysis is sent to be performed and who will be performing the analysis. You want to make sure that you’ll be receiving a concise and easy to read report with the most reliable and accurate information possible.