These inspections are also called pre-listinginspections.Consider having your own seller’s inspection before you have a home inspection the buyer has arranged for. Firstly, you get to choose the home inspector, and there are other benefits also.
You find out earlier which repairs are needed by having a seller’s inspection. You will also have the opportunity to get the repairs done early. This usually is a cost-saving, since you have the time to find the best price for the repairs.
Your seller’s inspection also eliminates a lot of anxiety and stress. You are able to price your home more realistically in some instances. For example, you may find out the home needs a new roof. The inspection will allow you to adjust your price accordingly before it goes onto the market.
You may wish to let your pricing reflect a fairly clean home inspection report (raise pricing perhaps ). Most buyers may still have their own inspector inspect your home. However, your own inspection conveys a trustworthy attitude to the buyer.
When you present a list of the repaired items to home buyers this also a positive attitude. Having a seller’s inspection can reduce anxiety, save money, and make for a smoother and quicker home sale.
Wise sellers have their property Move In Certified!
You will probably be selling your house with the “Voetstoots Clause” in the Offer to Purchase. But, if you think you are fully protected against any comebacks for latent defects you are wrong!
Under the law, you have a duty to disclose the defects on the property that you are aware of. Your estate agent may also point out defects that need to be corrected.
If you don’t disclose those defects you may be liable to pay for the correction of the defects after the property has been sold.
As a home seller, you should have your home “Move-in Certified”! Move-in certified homes sell better, faster and for higher prices!
Besides being a great marketing tool, the seller’s home inspection report is also the “Seller’s Disclosure”. This safeguards you against any later legal action that the buyer may want to bring against you for both latent and patent defects!
Do the wise thing, have your home inspected before you sell it!
A Critical Home Inspection and Report include the really important parts of the home! It is a “Safe Home” inspection.
This inspection is an ideal inspection for both home buyers and sellers! The inspection is for those clients who do not require the full Buyers or Sellers Home Inspection.
With a critical inspection, I focus and report on the critical components of a home which are the roof, roof space, structure (inside and outside), windows and doors, electricity and plumbing installations, and any damp problems!
Therefore, a critical inspection is ideal if you only require an inspection of the major components of the home. Besides, it is more affordable! My fee for a Critical Home Inspection report is about ¾ of that for the Home Buyers or Sellers Inspection, depending on the distance I would need to travel to the inspection.
A Critical Inspection includes
A critical home inspection includes issues that are NOT plainly obvious to any observant layman.
These include structural cracks in walls, ceilings, and floors. Issues such as all damp, roof leaks, illegal or unsafe geyser installations, windows, and door issues. However, I only inspect the external and internal wall, floor, and ceiling finish for signs of structural issues, dampness or staining from moisture intrusion.
Unsafe electrical and gas installations are also part of a critical home inspection. I inspect and report on stoves, air conditioners, and other built-in appliances. Moreover, I report on surface drainage, vegetation, and foliage issues that may affect the structure and roof adversely.
Besides the geyser installation, I check the water supply to all other plumbing fixtures and fittings as well as the drainage from them. I report on all leaks or faults observed during the critical home inspection.
A Critical Inspection includes unsafe, functional, or structural issues which, in my opinion, require prompt remedial attention. Furthermore, I report on preventative remedial actions that are required to preserve the safety, functional or structural integrity of the home or major installation.
What is not included
Other external elements such as boundary and yard walls, the site, driveways, walkways, garden sheds, etc. do not form part of the critical inspection. In addition, I inspect walls, floors, and ceilings for damp and structural issues only! I also inspect BICs, sink and kitchen cupboards, and counters for moisture intrusion only.
A homebuyer is advised to have a home inspection in most “Offer To Purchase” documents. A wise seller will prepare the house for home inspections!
10 Things A Seller Should Do Before Having Your Home Inspected
Home sellers should prepare for the likelihood of a home inspection in advance. Moreover, getting your house ready for a home inspection helps to prevent delays and can prevent surprises. Also, a seller doesn’t need a home inspector to break fixtures or cause damage because the seller was ill-prepared.
In South Africa, sellers are required by law to providefull disclosure of the condition of the property. However, buyers usually pay for their home inspection.
Whether you’ve decided to produce a seller’s home inspection report for buyers or expect the buyer’s home inspector to show up for a buyer’s inspection, the best thing is to be well prepared.
1)Clean the house and swimming pool
Sellers should always try to create a good first impression. Notably, clean homes and pools are an indication of how you maintain the house and property.
Don’t underestimate the importance of making a good impression. Don’t make the mistake of thinking inspectors see past stuff.
2)The Inspector will be on time
You can expect the home inspector to be on time. Therefore, if an inspector makes an appointment with you at 9:30 a.m., have the house ready for inspection at 9 a.m.
If you’re trying to increase the resale value of your home, there are probably more than a few side projects you want to finish before putting the house on the market for all to see. While some of these, like any kind of roof maintenance, are true renovations that likely require the help and vision of an expert, there remain some weekend projects that you can complete in a single weekend. Here are a few tips to help increase the resale value of your house.
Fix Outdoor Landscaping to Improve Curb Appeal
The first thing potential buyers will see when they walk up to your home is the landscaping. Do trees and bushes look overgrown? Is the lawn too long, or are there unsightly stumps and plants littering the yard? A little prevention in the form of weeding, gardening, watering, and trimming will have the front of your house looking immaculate and inviting to potential buyers. According to Home-Dzine, your lawn is probably one of the first things someone will notice about your house. Therefore, keep your grass trimmed, remove dead branches, and plant some flowers for a pop of colour.
Clean
Your Gutters
Power washing the walls and the driveway is a great way to make your home look well cared for. This allows your house to stand out in a positive way from the rest of the houses on your street. Moreover, Gutters are often overlooked when cleaning up the outside of a home because you can’t see them from ground level. But rest assured it will make a big difference.
Make
Any Necessary Repairs
Repairs can easily be completed in the span of a weekend. In addition, to ensure that there are no visible red flags, have a walkthrough or seller’s inspection. This will pinpoint any areas that need to be worked on prior to selling the home. Things that may be simply annoying to you might be deal-breakers for a buyer. In particular, leaky taps, mould damage, or a faulty light switch could be the difference between that SOLD sign and spending weeks or even months languishing on the market.
When Estate Agents Should Insist On An Independent Inspection
An independent inspection and report protects both the estate agent and the seller
The EAAB (Estate Agents Affairs Board) encourages buyers to have a home inspection. However, which buyer ever reads the articles on the EAAB’s website? Maybe estate agents read the articles and the EAAB encourages estate agents to advise buyers to have an independent property inspection?
Most estate agents prefer not to have an independent property inspection, mostly because of concerns over defects that may make the sale fall through and because of the cost involved.
Estate agents should know better! Insisting on an independent property inspection may save the agent from strained relationships with both sellers and buyers. Furthermore, an independent inspection will prevent damage to their reputation or possibly even costly liability later on, should problems occur with the condition of the property.
An independent home or property inspection doesn’t kill a deal by forcing sellers to disclose defects that they wouldn’t otherwise have known about. Any defect that is serious enough to kill a real estate transaction is best discovered before it can kill the deal or result in litigation at a later stage.
