Friday, November 9, 2012

Should Home Inspections Be Used As Another Negotiation Tool?

Home inspections are performed for the purpose of detecting structural and mechanical defects and safety issues.? Every home has an actual life and an effective life.? There are many 25 year old homes that have an effective life of 10 years because the owners have continually improved and maintained the house.

Sellers need to be reminded that if a home is 25 years old, the home is not going to be priced as new construction of the same size.? On the same note, Buyers, the homeowner is not going to reduce the price to provide the buyer with the extra money to remodel the home to a new home condition. Smart buyers will ask the seller to pay for a home warranty. Home warranties cover major defects for a year and provide a buyer with peace of mind.

If a home is free of structural and mechanical defects, and there are no safety issues, there should be no negotiating for future improvements. ?If the roof has 5 years remaining, start saving for the new roof, buyer; and if the furnace is 20 years old, you may want to save an additional amount for that new future furnace too.

I can count on one hand the number of our listing home inspections that have resulted in no further negotiating.? Recently, home inspections have become a second opportunity for buyers to knock that number down another notch or two.? Yet, home inspections are not another negotiating tool. ?Yet, transactions would run much smoother if Buyers negotiated the real deal up front.? If there are valid defects, sellers should expect to negotiate those.?

Please note, the usefulness of your home inspection report does not end even though you are now living in your home and the buying process is complete. Along with maintenance and safety items, your home inspection report ?is loaded with repair needs and improvement items. Your home inspection report is a great list to work from as a "to-do" list for improving the health, safety and quality of living in your new home.

Helping buyers make sense out of a home inspection is part of the invaluable service that?I can provide. Unless the home is brand new, do not nitpick small items. Address major issues and safety issues. Do not make repair requests for items that could have been readily ascertained on your initial inspection such as cracked sidewalks, bad paint jobs or uneven floors. Otherwise, the Seller will feel you should have asked for those items in the purchase offer.??


Got Questions? Ask!
Hugh "Scooter" Willey
Sun Realty
Ph: 252-489-8491

Source: http://www.trulia.com/blog/hugh_scooter_willey/2012/11/should_home_inspections_be_used_as_another_negotiation_tool

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