RealTown's RealTownTalk

Anyone out there think it's a good idea that if your representing the seller to do a home inspection right after the listing agreement is signed. My reasoning is this. How much money do you spend marketing a home? How much time do you spend open housing, doing paper work on it on perhaps several offers only to find out afer months of work (for no money) the house has some major problems that a buyer finds? Isn't it worth doing? I think it actually saves time and money in the long run. Would love to hear feedback.

Al Caz

Zitomer Real Estate Inc

609 338 9588

I've heard this in courses and from compadres over the years. One broker I trained called and said that he was going to have home inspections before he listed the property. I did check back with him some time later (and showed some of the houses he had inspected). He did 5 pre-listing home inspections and gave up. 

Here is what happened. Had the home inspection. The seller fixed the stuff. The buyers had a home inspection and the sellers fix more stuff. Not good for the seller.

A priority for one home inspector is not for another. The home owner fixes something and a lower item on the list comes up in the home inspection. The buyer has different priorities from the seller. And the beat goes on.....

Let the buyer do their own due diligence.

I offer reimbursed services to my sellers in the form of vouchers that I must agree and sign first before them having the services done. i.e. if a seller wants a home inspection $300 and painting $200 done, if I deem it necessary, I will agree to the services and suggest that the seller pays for it upfront and I will credit the seller up to $150 for a home inspection and up to $100 for painting services at closing.

This way you're not stuck with the bill if the seller decides to walk or home not sell. Also, this way the seller does not use your marketing resources/capital as their personal ATM.  The seller must have some "skin" in the game too if they want additional services. These plans are offered ONLY for my Platinum Sellers who are willing to pay the commission.  I offer I tiered service/commission plan.  If a seller wants simple listing plans then they pay less for less service or al a carte, then they select the Bronze Plan. If they want average services, then they select the most common plan the Diamond Plan.

Tell me what you think?