Preparing For A Home Inspection

seller and homebuyer house inspection
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 provide full 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.

Continue reading “Preparing For A Home Inspection”

Weekend Projects

Weekend Projects to Increase Resale Value

by Kay Pascale

resale-value

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.

Continue reading “Weekend Projects”

Selling tips

buyers

10 Tips For Selling To Buyers

buyers and cost of repairs
It is good advice not to get emotional about your house and also the most important point for selling to buyers!

Get a FREE Quote NOW!

Selling to Buyers

Getting a buyer for your home in tough economic times can be challenging. Consider what prospective buyer’s impressions will be of unrepaired defects! They will wonder what the cost of repairs will be. First impressions do matter! Although you may get many visitors, potential buyers may not make an offer to purchase.

In this kind of marketing, it is critical that you make the home as attractive as possible to the buyer. A home that needs a lot of repairs is not an attractive proposition to most buyers.

Even in an economic downturn, there are ways to speed up the sale of your home. And get the right price!

1) Get the pricing right

Getting your list price right is critical! An estate agent will help you assess the value of your property in relation to other properties in the area. If you choose to sell your property privately, get a professional valuer to assist you. If priced too high, you won’t get the offers you need and your property becomes stale on the market. Potential buyers and agents may assume that there is a serious problem.

2) First impressions matter

Prospective buyer experience is important! Take a good look around your home – is it clean, neat and tidy? Is the garden well-tended and inviting? Does it look cared for? Does it smell fresh and pleasant? What will the cost of repairs be?

Attention to detail and cleanliness draws people in and holds their interest longer. Furthermore, they will be more prepared to spend the time examining your home and visualising themselves in it.

4) Half empty cupboards

Storage is something every buyer is looking for and can never have enough of. Take half the stuff out of your cupboards then neatly organize what’s left. Buyers will snoop, so be sure to keep all your cupboards and cabinets clean and tidy.

4) Light it up

Maximize the light in your home! After location, good light is the one thing that buyers want in a home. Takedown the curtains, clean the windows, change the lampshades, increase the wattage of your light bulbs and cut the bushes outside, to let in the sunshine. Do what you have to do make your house bright and cheery – it will make it more sellable.

5) Tend to the repairs

Tending to repairs and maintenance can make a world of difference. Fix that leaking tap, replace the cracked windows, paint the weathered doors and fix the faulty light fittings. Don’t ignore necessary repairs that could be a red flag to a potential buyer. Buyers will instantly look at ways of negotiating your price down because of the perceived cost of the repairs.

6) Ready to show

Your house needs to be “show-ready” at all times! You never know when your buyer is going to walk through the door. You have to be available whenever they want to view the place and it has to be in tip-top shape. Don’t leave dishes in the sink, keep the dishwasher cleaned out. The bathrooms must sparkle and make sure there are no dust bunnies in the corners. It is inconvenient, but it will get your house sold.

7) Conceal the pets

You might think a cuddly dog would warm the hearts of potential buyers. Not everybody is a dog or cat lover. Buyers don’t want to walk into your home and see a bowl full of dog food, smell the kitty litter or have tufts of pet hair stuck to their clothes. It will give buyers the impression that your house is not clean. If you’re planning an open house, send the pets to a pet hotel for the day.

8) The promise of peace of mind for buyers

Many a seller has felt the pressure of the defects disclosure list and hoped that they have remembered everything. In some cases, you may never really fully investigate it but know there is a problem. Protect yourself and the buyer against the implications of serious defects by having a sellers home inspection beforehand. It provides you with a professional property inspection that will be your disclosure. It protects you against the financial and legal ramifications of any defects that may emerge in the property.

A home inspection can mean a faster sale because any issues of mistrust between buyer and seller are removed. It can also mean getting a higher price for your property as you are less likely to be negotiated down. Buyers place significant value on peace of mind. Your report will highlight any minor repairs that need attention. You can choose to do the repairs beforehand and ensure maximum sale price for your property. If you don’t, you won’t need to bring your price down more than the cost of the repairs. Most importantly, a house sold with a home inspection report differentiates yours from the rest. Buyers are more likely to consider your home first.

4) De-clutter your home

De-clutter your home as much as possible and pack away all the personal items, e.g. photographs, memorabilia, pet beds, stuffed animals, skins etc. Ideally, you want to create a clean, blank canvas that potential buyers can visualise their own lives and likes it.

10) Great photographs impress potential buyers

Have professional photographs taken once you have cleaned up, de-cluttered and done all the required repairs. People shop online for homes these days, so your property listing can be very appealing with professional photographs. Get a photographer to do the job in the best possible light conditions that add atmosphere, appeal and charm to your home.

Get a FREE Quote NOW!

 Inspected Once, Inspected Right!®

SEE WHERE I INSPECT IN GAUTENG!

THE HOME DETECTIVE » Home seller » Selling tips

error: Content is protected !!