If you are an Ann Arbor homeowner looking to sell your property, you’ll most likely benefit from the significant rebound in the area’s real estate market in recent years. However, this still a competitive environment, so why not consider another way to get a competitive edge as you put your home on the market? Getting a “seller’s” home inspection before you decide to list your home for sale can help you identify any problems with your property (before any buyer ever finds it) and help you set yourself up for success. The last thing you want is to have any surprises during a purchase deal and drive off the buyer — all because there was something wrong with the house.

Here’s why you should get a seller’s home inspection before listing for sale in Ann Arbor:

1. It’s a Proactive Approach to Problems

Should a home inspection uncover one or more issues, you and your agent can carefully consider strategy without the pressures that arise when an offer to purchase has already been signed by the parties. A seller may decide to fully rectify the problem by paying for a repair. The advantage with the seller’s inspection is that you’re not suddenly performing a repair under duress. Instead, you have the time to shop around for a proper combination of quality and price.

2. It Provides Pricing Advantages

If, on the other hand, your home inspector comes back with a clean report, this can work to your advantage. Armed with the good news, a seller may be more confident in asking a bit more for his or her home. Also, your agent can use the existence of a clean home inspection as a marketing tool. Many prospective home buyers feel the pressure of the process as it is. Many will actually gravitate toward homes that have been recently inspected by a professional.

3. It Helps Avoid Last Minute Surprises

It can be a huge advantage for a seller to not get caught “off-guard” when the buyer’s inspector returns with a report of problems. Buyers don’t like surprises any more than sellers do. In some cases, a bad result during the home inspection may cause them to walk. Although Michigan’s “full disclosure” laws mean that sellers mostly do disclose defects that they are aware of ahead of time, a buyer may nonetheless feel like they’ve been misled. Perhaps this explains why, in many cases, a buyer will try to reduce the price of the property by double or triple the actual cost of the needed repair. This can result in difficult and sometimes rancorous negotiations between the agents.

The alternative is to get a seller’s inspection at the outset, and to get everything out in the open from “day one.” Just the peace-of-mind gained can be well worth it. And finally, hundreds spent on a home inspection may translate into thousands of dollars more in your pocket at closing. Working out the costs of any problems uncovered in advance almost always turns out better for the seller.

Selling Your Ann Arbor Home

If you’d like more information about selling your Ann Arbor home, contact us or read our free home seller’s eBook: