A-Pro Pre-Owned Home Inspection Q and A

Thinking about a Pre-Listing Home Inspection? Here Are Answers to Three Common Questions.

In this unprecedented low-inventory housing market, the team at A-Pro Home Inspection has seen more and more home sellers taking a proactive approach by having our inspectors perform a Certified Pre-Owned Home Inspection.

This pre-listing inspection provides a number of proven advantages to the seller, including helping homes sell significantly faster and at a higher price, providing the seller and agent with an added layer of liability protection, allowing potential buyers to make offers with greater confidence, and giving all parties involved the peace of mind that the deal will go smoothly and won’t be plagued by problems down the road.

We’ve found that while many sellers are enthusiastic about the concept of having a professional inspection done before putting a home on the market, they often have questions. Here are a few answers to common queries we receive at A-Pro about our Certified Pre-Owned Home Inspection:

What will I get for my investment? Is the Certified Pre-Owned Home Inspection different from the traditional inspection buyers receive?

Like the visual and operational 500-point inspection we provide to potential buyers, the Certified Pre-Owned Home Inspection covers all major systems in the home (plumbing, electrical, foundation, exterior, interior, attic, roof, insulation, and venting, HVAC, appliances, and more). You will receive the same type of promptly delivered, detailed home inspection report our buying clients have relied on for more than 27 years. And each pre-listing inspection comes with A-Pro’s 120-day “If We Don’t Report It, We Repair It” guarantee that is transferable from you to the buyer. This means that in the rare occurrence that a pre-existing problem is not reported, it will be repaired at A-Pro’s expense.

As our selling clients discover, the modest cost of a pre-listing home inspection is well worth the investment when you consider the possibility of a higher selling price, the safeguards against expensive lawsuits, and the opportunity to fix hidden problems before going to market.

I have been a careful, conscientious, and handy homeowner since the day I moved in. Why would I need a third-party inspector to tell me and potential buyers what I already know about my home? It’s in excellent shape.

It’s true—no one knows your home better than you, and the pride you show in your castle will be evident to anyone who walks through it. The inspectors at A-Pro completely understand this. But when your home is being shown to potential buyers, who are they more likely to believe: the agent and seller, who have a stake in promoting the property, or an impartial professional with many years of home inspection experience?

By hiring an inspector to certify the condition of your home and, perhaps, point out areas of concern, you tell potential buyers that you have gone the extra mile to reduce the chances that there won’t be unpleasant surprises once they take up residence. A home inspection is not an insult to your ability as a homeowner. It’s simply a smart marketing maneuver—and one that could protect you and your wallet.

In addition, some sellers contract A-Pro for services that go beyond the scope of the traditional pre-owned home inspection, including inspections for wood-destroying insects, mold, lead paint, and damage or blockage to the main sewer line.

But I’m required to sign disclosure documents about the house and its problems. Isn’t that enough?

Legally, yes. But you would be shocked at the number of lawsuits filed every year by buyers who claim an undisclosed problem, costing many thousands of dollars, surfaced shortly after the move-in date.

A pre-listing inspection can reveal issues that even the most astute homeowner may miss (plumbing problems, dangerous wiring, a slow leak in the roof, etc.). The home inspection report can serve as critical documentation, in addition to your disclosures, that can help squelch frivolous lawsuits before they become raging infernos. Also, having a document in hand that lists recommended repairs and replacements allows you, as a seller, to get the home in the best shape possible before listing, or, adjust the selling price based on what the inspector found. Further, A-Pro home inspectors carry a minimum of $300,000 in Errors and Omissions (E&O) insurance, which protects both client and real estate agent in case the inspector inadvertently misses or omits a major defective system or component from the home inspection report.

Ask your local A-Pro Home Inspection team about its Certified Pre-Owned Home Inspections in Boulder. To schedule one, call 1-720-438-4595 or visit the link below.