I’ve been really strongly encouraging pre-listing inspections this year. It’s a trend that I certainly hope will catch on. I really believe that only good can come from it. But let’s look a little deeper at this from a homeowner’s perspective.
Recently, a smart seller decided to have an inspection before listing their house. (Woo Hoo!) That inspection uncovered about $10,000 worth of damage from a dishwasher that had been leaking into the crawlspace (Oh No!). The repairs required the removal of the kitchen cabinets to replace the subfloor. Then they had to put the kitchen cabinets back in. What a nightmare, right? I was extremely grateful that the seller found this before listing the house so that it could be fixed and not freak a buyer (and seller) out when the buyer’s home inspector found it. Typically in situations like that, the buyer usually either wants to walk away or wants repairs so extensive and expensive, it’s just not feasible for the seller. And the seller loses all control of how the repairs get done and by whom. Deals fall apart for things like this every year, every month.
But prepping your home for sale is not my point here. This latest experience got me thinking. Maybe there is a place for not just pre-listing inspections, but inspections just because. Inspections to check out, periodically, those places you don’t typically go (or want to go) like the crawl or the attic or the roof. That leak under the dishwasher had probably been going on for several years. What if a $350 inspection had caught it 5 years ago? Would a $10,000 repair have become a $2000 repair? So, I’m going to start a new trend. Home inspections just because. Every 3 years. Just because. Because it’s smart to protect your huge investment. Because it’s smart to be prepared. Because it’s smart to be able to plan ahead and be in control of your destiny. And because I said so.