“HGTV-ready” is only half the battle.  In order to achieve success in today’s buyer-dominated market, sellers know that their house must be in “HGTV” condition, i.e., full of “eye candy” such as stainless appliances, new plumbing fittings, new light fixtures and other decorator touches. Although these items do represent actual value as well as exerting a seductive appeal on buyers, they are essentially surface improvements that display well in photos. In other words, their main value is that they get the buyers in the door and offers follow.  But this degree of readiness is only half the battle, as many sellers find upon ratifying a contract.

Know “What Lies Beneath” and plan for it.  However, if “what lies beneath” has not been addressed before going on the market, what happens next may be very painful, especially for the sellers. Underlying conditions that are discovered upon home inspection can A) cause the buyers to walk away; or B) require that the sellers perform expensive repairs for which there is no budget; or C) negotiated away at home inspection only to turn into lender-required or walk-thru-required repairs due upon settlement. Any of these options can be fatal to a contract, and they typically arise when settlement is imminent. The pressure to close on time often means a seller is forced to accept an exorbitant price to complete a repair; or, worse yet, fails to complete the repair within the contractual time limit. Even if both parties are willing to delay settlement as needed to allow completion of repairs, sellers who have negotiated more time may be forced to pay lock-in extension fees for the buyers in order to keep them under contract.

Win in the market!  plus reduce cost, stress and risk by having a pre-market home inspection performed.  A pre-market  home inspection is a critical step in preparing for sale, one that will more than pay for itself as a cost-, stress- and risk-reducer. A seller who has made repairs up front can avoid the painful, expensive task of tearing out freshly renewed surfaces because of the need to make repairs before settlement. If repairs have been done before going on the market, lender-required or walk-thru required repairs are unlikely to be a problem. Risk is also reduced because if any previously undiscovered underlying conditions do surface after settlement, there will be documentation (the home inspection report) showing that the sellers were unaware of them.