Seller inspections (sometimes referred to as pre-listing inspections) are orderd more and more frequently by sellers these days. Realtors and Sellers have found that pre-listing inspections help to eliminate the pitfalls and hassles associated with waiting to do the inspections until a buyer is found. When inspections are ordered by a buyer after a home goes under contract, is too late for the seller to make improvements without surprise costs and repairs. On the other hand, Seller inspections are arranged and paid for by the seller, usually just before the home goes on the market.

With Seller inspections, because Schulz Professional Inspections works for the seller, we inspect for the visible condition of the home at the time of the inspection and generate a written report for the sellers. If there are concerns (from maintenance to health and safety issues), the seller can correct the situation if they choose. If improvements or changes based on the report are made, a reinspection and updated report would indicate the improved condition. In either case, once the inspection is done, the seller can make copies of the report to share with potential buyers that tour the home for sale. Any offer made on the property would include the fact that the potential buyer is aware of the condition of the property and potential issues would have been disclosed prior to the offer. Seller inspections are a benefit to all parties in a real estate transaction. They are a win-win-win.

Advantages to the seller:

The seller can choose a qualified and certified inspector rather than be at the mercy of the buyer's choice of inspector.
The seller can schedule the inspections at the seller's convenience.
It might alert the seller of any items of immediate personal concern, such as radon gas or active termite infestation.
The seller can assist the inspector during the inspection, something normally not done during a buyer's inspection.
The seller can have the inspector correct any misstatements in the inspection report before it is generated.
The report can help the seller realistically price the home if problems exist.
The report can help the seller substantiate a higher asking price if problems don't exist or have been corrected.
A seller inspection reveals problems ahead of time which:
- might make the home show better.
- gives the seller time to make repairs and shop for competitive contractors.
- permits the seller to attach repair estimates or paid invoices to the inspection report.
- removes over-inflated buyer procured estimates from the negotiation table.
The report might alert the seller to any immediate safety issues found, before agents and visitors tour the home.
The report provides a third-party, unbiased opinion to offer to potential buyers.
A seller inspection permits a clean home inspection report to be used as a marketing tool.
A seller inspection is the ultimate gesture in forthrightness on the part of the seller.
The report might relieve a prospective buyer's unfounded suspicions, before they walk away.
A seller inspection lightens negotiations and 11th-hour renegotiations.
The report might encourage the buyer to waive the inspection contingency.
The deal is less likely to fall apart the way they often do when a buyer's inspection unexpectedly reveals a problem, last minute.
The report provides full-disclosure protection from future legal claims.

Advantages to the real estate agent:

Agents can recommend a certified, licensed and quality inspector as opposed to being at the mercy of buyer's choices in inspectors (or worse yet a completely untrained / unqualified person).
Sellers can schedule the inspections at seller's convenience with little effort on the part of agents.
Sellers can assist inspectors during the inspections, something normally not done during buyer's inspections.
Sellers can have inspectors correct any misstatements in the reports before they are generated.
The reports help sellers see their homes through the eyes of a critical, third-party, thus making sellers more realistic about asking price.
Agents are alerted to any immediate safety issues found, before other agents and potential buyers tour the home.
Repairs made ahead of time might make homes show better.
Reports hosted online entice potential buyers to tour the homes.
The reports provide third-party, unbiased opinions to offer to potential buyers.
Clean reports can be used as marketing tools to help sell the homes.
The reports might relieve prospective buyer's unfounded suspicions, before they walk away.
Seller inspections eliminate buyer's remorse that sometimes occurs just after an inspection.
Seller inspections reduce the need for negotiations and 11th-hour renegotiations.
Seller inspections relieve the agent of having to hurriedly procure repair estimates or schedule repairs.
The reports might encourage buyers to waive their inspection contingencies.
Deals are less likely to fall apart the way they often do when buyer's inspections unexpectedly reveal problems, last minute.
Reports provide full-disclosure protection from future legal claims.

Advantages to the home buyer:

The inspection is done and the condition of the property is disclosed before looking at the property.
The inspection is paid for by the seller.
The report offers a more accurate, third-party view of the condition of the home prior to making an offer.
A seller inspection eliminates surprise defects.
Problems are corrected or at least acknowledged prior to making an offer on the home.
A seller inspection reduces the need for negotiations and 11th-hour re-negotiations.
The report might assist in acquiring financing.
A seller inspection allows the buyer to sweeten the offer without increasing it by waiving inspections.

Suggested language included for:

Schulz Professional Inspections seller inspection reports.
sellers to use to encourage buyers to perform their own fresh inspections.
agents to use to encourage buyers to perform their own fresh inspections.

"Note: Just as no two home inspectors and no two reporting systems are alike, no two inspection reports, even if performed on the same property at the same time, are alike. This seller or pre-listing inspection report was performed for my client, the home seller, with the cooperation and assistance of my client, the home seller. It assumes full disclosure on the part of my client, the home seller. My client may choose to share my report with others, but it was performed solely for my client. Although Schulz Professional Inspections performs all inspections and writes all reports objectively without regard to the client's personal interests, performing additional fresh inspections, which of course could reveal and report matters differently, should be considered."

Common myths about seller inspections:

Q. Don't seller inspections kill deals by forcing sellers to disclose defects they otherwise wouldn't have known about?

A. Any defect that is material enough to kill a real estate transaction is likely going to be uncovered eventually anyway. It is best to discover the problem ahead of time (and either make the improvement, or disclose the defect), before it can kill the deal.

Q. A newer home in good condition doesn't need an inspection anyway. Why should the seller have one done?

A. Unlike real estate agents whose job it is to market properties for their sellers, inspectors produce objective reports. If the property is truly in great shape the inspection report becomes a pseudo marketing piece with the added benefit of having been generated by an impartial party.

Sample letter Schulz Professional Inspections sends to listing agents:

Dear Jane Smartagent:

I am David Schulz of Schulz Professional Inspections. I am writing to encourage you to contact me about pre-inspecting your listings. The advantages to your real estate business and your home selling clients are many. Please note just a few:

You can recommend me, a certified InterNACHI inspector, to do the inspection as opposed to being at the mercy of buyer's choices in inspectors (or worse yet a completely untrained / unqualified person).

Your sellers can schedule the inspections at their convenience, direct with me, with little effort on your part.

Your sellers can assist me during the inspections, something normally not done during buyer's inspections.

Your sellers can have me correct any misstatements in my reports before I generate them.

My reports help sellers see their homes through the eyes of a critical, third-party, thus making sellers more realistic about asking price.

I will alert you to any immediate safety issues I find before other agents and potential buyers tour the homes I inspect.

Repairs made ahead of time might make your listings show better.

My reports provide third-party, unbiased opinions to offer to potential buyers.

My reports can be used as marketing tools to help sell the homes.

My reports might relieve prospective buyer's unfounded suspicions, before they walk away.

Seller inspections eliminate buyer's remorse that sometimes occurs just after an inspection.

Seller inspections reduce the need for negotiations and 11th-hour renegotiations.

Seller inspections relieve you of having to hurriedly procure repair estimates or schedule repairs.

My reports might encourage buyers to waive their inspection contingencies.

Your deals are less likely to fall apart the way they often do when buyer's inspections unexpectedly reveal problems, last minute.

My reports provide full-disclosure protection from future legal claims.

Of course I always stand ready to perform inspections for your buyers. However, I would like to meet with you in person to explain how I can help streamline your real estate transactions. This seller inspection service I offer might also be used to procure future listings and/or sell homes that are already on the market. Please contact me.

David & Tracy Schulz

Schulz Professional Inspections

(231) 414-2800 c

(231) 414-2801 o

A good question to ask when presenting to a group of real estate agents:

Have any of you had a deal fall apart in the 11th hour over an inspection report?

Every hand will go up.

Sample letter for inspectors to send to home sellers:

Dear Mr. Homeseller:

I am David Schulz of Schulz Professional Inspections and I noticed you are selling your home. I am writing to encourage you to contact me about inspecting your home before any more potential buyers tour it. The advantages of having it inspected now are many:

You can have me, a licensed and certified InterNACHI inspector, do the inspection rather than be at the mercy of the buyer's choice of inspector (or worse yet a completely untrained / unqualified person).

You can schedule the inspection with me at your convenience.

I might be able to alert you to any items of immediate personal concern, such as radon gas or active termite infestation.

You can assist me during the inspection, something normally not done during a buyer's inspection.

You can correct any misstatements in your inspection report before I generate it.

The report can help you realistically price your home if problems exist.

The report can help you substantiate a higher asking price if problems don't exist or have been corrected.

My report will reveal problems ahead of time which:

might make your home show better.

gives you time to make repairs and shop for competitive contractors.

permits you to attach repair estimates or paid invoices to the inspection report.

removes over-inflated buyer procured estimates from any future negotiations.

My report might alert you to any immediate safety issues found, before agents and visitors tour the home.

My report provides a third-party, unbiased opinion to offer to your potential buyers.

A seller inspection permits a clean home inspection report to be used as a marketing tool.

A seller inspection is the ultimate gesture in forthrightness on your part.

My report might relieve prospective buyer's unfounded suspicions, before they walk away from your home.

A seller inspection lightens negotiations and 11th-hour renegotiations.

My report might encourage your buyer to waive the inspection contingency.

Your deal is less likely to fall apart the way they often do when a buyer's inspection unexpectedly reveals a problem, last minute.

My report provides you with full-disclosure protection from future legal claims.

I would like to talk with you in person to explain how I can help streamline your real estate sale. And of course I always stand ready to inspect the home you are buying as well. Please contact me.

David & Tracy Schulz

Schulz Professional Inspections

(231) 414-2800 c

(231) 414-2801 o

In summary, seller inspections streamline the real estate sales process for all parties involved. I recommend that homeowners hire a qualified and trained professional to inspect their home. As a Texas licensed and insured professional real estate inspector and InterNACHI member, I (David Schulz from Schulz Professional Inspections) recommend that every home be inspected before being put on the market (listed). Further, it is my recommendation that annual inspections be considered for homes that aren't for sale.