ERA Justin’s Fara Espandi Reports On Recommended Work Before Selling

Sellers often order pre-sale inspection reports. This inevitably raises the question of how much, if any, of the recommended work should be done before selling.  Ideally, any defect that would be hazardous to agents and buyers who preview the property during the sale process should be corrected. An example is a trip hazard that might cause someone to fall. In addition, to maximize your return from the sale, you should repair defects that adversely affect how the property looks. Buying decisions are typically determined upon a first inspection and first impressions. 
 
Fara Espandi, an ERA Justin Realty continuing Leadership Circle award recipient says, “First impressions are important. So, if the fence or entry porch are in disrepair and look shabby, repair them. If the exterior paint is peeling, repaint and retouch as needed. You get positive results when you repair a defect and improve appearance by doing so.  For example, let’s say that the wood pest (also known as termite) inspector finds damage under the linoleum in a kitchen, treat and repair. If the linoleum is worn and outdated, you’ll do better on the sale if you replace the floor covering with a new, trendier one. In the course of doing this, the wood damage can be repaired. The result is that the house shows better and a defect is eliminated–two benefits for the price of one.
You certainly can’t be expected to rebuild your home in order to sell it. Nor is this a sensible thing to do economically.

When structural elements are in need of repair and you haven’t the time or money to repair them, it’s a good idea to get repair estimates and make these estimates available to prospective buyers before they make an offer. This way, you’re in control of the process and can find reliable contractors or engineers who will give you reasonable and not exorbitant estimates.

It can be unsettling to a buyer to discover that the roof is in poor condition or the foundation needs work. Most buyers will have no idea how much it will cost to make repairs. Fear of the unknown makes people anxious, which isn’t a good frame of mind for someone who’s trying to decide whether to buy your home.

As reported by Dian Hymer of Inman News, a pre-sale home inspector of an Oakland, Calif., home recommended that an engineer be consulted about a foundation that had settled. The seller hired an engineer who made a proposal for the repair. The cost was $20,000–not an insignificant number. But, it wasn’t $40,000 or $50,000 as an inexperienced buyer might imagine.  If you choose not to make major repairs before selling, this should be reflected in your list price, especially if you have competition from other sellers.”