Recently I had a great discussion with home inspector Chris Iula to talk about the benefits of pre-listing home inspections. This conversation was actually sparked by an email I received from a client: Allan Blake. Allan wrote, “As a seller, should I have a home inspection done on my home prior to putting it on the market?”
This is a great question, and one Chris is certainly qualified to answer. Chris runs a business called Chris the Home Inspector, and has performed many inspections for my team and our clients.
When I asked Chris to answer whether pre-listing inspections are a good idea, he said: “Absolutely. I think every home should be pre-inspected before it hits the market. It not only educates the seller on what is to come, it also educates the agent on the condition of the house. It gives people more confidence before putting the home on the market.”
When Chris performs pre-listing inspections, he offers the option of either abbreviated or full-blown inspections. The abbreviated inspection is designed specifically to pinpoint any and all major issues without focusing on minor problems. Chris checks over homes from roof to foundation and everything in between, for a rate starting at $250. This is a great value, because even an abbreviated inspection will be incredibly thorough.
Chris also performs a free mold inspection as part of this process. I can speak personally to the importance of this service, especially after the experience I recently had with a transaction I was working on. Everything was going smoothly until the buyer’s inspector found a little bit of mold in the attic. Then, everything fell apart. If the seller could have found and addressed this issue beforehand, the deal may very well have successfully closed.
“Chris checks over homes from roof to foundation and everything in between.”
However, not all issues are so easily detected. Radon, for example, is invisible, but poses a significant threat. Chris says that it is very important for each and every home to be tested for radon.
With all this in mind, it isn’t hard to see why having a pre-listing inspection is such an important step in the selling process.
To get in touch with Chris, you can give him a call at (518) 928-4172 or visit his website www.christhehomeinspector.com.
And, as always, if you have any other questions, would like more information, or are interested in buying or selling a home in the Capital District, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
