I receive this question very frequently.
I do recommend that the seller obtain both a termite and a contractor’s inspection, either before the property is listed, or right after the home is placed on the market for sale.
The benefits to the seller are considerable, and most sellers feel that the cost of the reports is minimal compared to the benefits of obtaining these reports.
In the past, many sellers obtained a termite inspection. It is now becoming fairly common practice for sellers to also obtain a contractor’s inspection, either before the property is listed for sale, or right after it is listed for sale.
In my 25 years in the industry, I’ve repeatedly seen several benefits of sellers getting both of these reports up front, or very early after the home is listed for sale.
Why do this? Several reasons.
1) Getting these reports early will almost always save the seller money, sometimes thousands of dollars. If there is any bad news in the reports, giving this information to the buyer early will almost always save you money. The buyer is most excited about a property early in the transaction. Therefore, giving them any "bad" news very early means that you, the seller, will very likely be asked for less dollars than if the bad news was delivered late in the transaction, at a time in which the buyer is in the typical "buyer’s-remorse" stage of the transaction.
2) Getting these reports early greatly diminishes the probability of a buyer canceling a transaction, for the same reason stated above. If the buyer is given any bad news early, it will, by definition, not come as a surprise later in the transaction. A buyer is always better able to handle any negative information on a property early in a transaction, before the buyer’s remorse stage sets in. Plus, the buyer can’t claim that they were surpised, if they receive any bad news early.
3) One additional benefit is that the more fully a seller "discloses" any property defects, the better. California has very rigorous disclosure requirements. When the seller provides both the termite and the contractor reports from third party experts, the seller is clearly performing "due diligence" in terms of full disclosure. This helps to minimize legal liability for the seller.
4) The seller is not surpised in terms of their net proceeds. They know up front the cost of any issues.
Call us!! We can provide you with a list of several reputable termite and contractor inspectors. We are highly knowledgeable in this area, and can facilitate reports!!| If you would like a complimentary, personalized property value analysis, please phone Shayne Bowen at 707 577-8200! (Alternately, you may click here to make a request for a personalized property value analysis.) |
| If you are interested in making a purchase or exchange of a property, please phone Shayne Bowen at 707 577-8200! (Alternately, you may click here to request information on potential properties for you.) |