Why a Home Inspection Before You List Your House May Be Worth It in Today’s Market

Understanding a Pre-Listing Home Inspection

A pre-listing home inspection is a professional home inspection scheduled before putting a house on the market. Similar to a buyer's inspection, this process identifies any issues with the condition of the house, such as structural problems, faulty or outdated HVAC systems, or other essential repairs. It’s especially beneficial for older homes, as it helps sellers get ahead of potential problems. The key is to decide whether the benefits outweigh the costs for your situation.

Why Consider It in Today’s Market

In today's market, buyers are more cautious about their spending and want to ensure the home they're buying is worth the expense. A pre-listing home inspection can be advantageous for several reasons:

Gives Sellers Time to Make Repairs: Knowing about issues ahead of time allows sellers to fix them their own schedule, rather than rushing to make repairs when under contract.

Avoid Surprises During Negotiations: A pre-listing home inspection helps spot and address problems early, preventing last-minute negotiations, price reductions, or deals falling apart.

Sell The House Faster: If the house is listed in the best shape possible, there will be fewer reasons for buyers to ask for concessions, leading to shorter negotiation timelines and a faster sale.

How An Agent Will Help

Before scheduling a home inspection, talk with an agent. They can advise whether a pre-inspection is worthwhile for the house and the local market. If they recommend moving forward, they'll support sellers by:

Offering Advice on How to Prioritize Repairs: If the inspection uncovers problems, an agent will help sellers understand what to prioritize based on buyer concerns.

Knowledge of Disclosure Requirements: If sellers decide not all repairs are worth it right now, they need to be prepared to disclose what they’re not fixing. Here in Illinois, laws require disclosures as part of a listing, so lean on a REALTOR for more information.  Known issues must be disclosed.

Bottom Line

While not required, pre-listing home inspections can be helpful in today’s market. Understanding a  home’s condition ahead of time allows sellers to take control of the process and make informed decisions about what to fix before listing and what to disclose. If sellers skip this step, they may be as surprised as the buyer by what pops up in the home inspection, leaving them scrambling. Connect with a local agent to see if this step makes sense in your market.