In hot housing markets, your buyers are more anxious than ever to get a bid in on their dream home. And while it’s prudent to submit a conditional offer pending a home inspection, many buyers view this as too risky. Thankfully, there are pre-offer home and property inspection services available that can be carried out before the offer is even submitted to provide added peace of mind to buyers and buyers’ agents.
If you’re selling a home in a hot market where multiple bids are expected, setting a conditions inspection date is also a great way to ensure any potential buyers who plan on making an offer can have an inspection completed that day to help mitigate risk.
While traditional home and property inspections are completed after the offer has been accepted, there are three more inspection options available to help Realtors and homebuyers better understand the inner workings of the property before an offer is submitted.
Pre-offer inspection services include:
1. Verbal consultation during viewing
The home inspector joins the Realtor and client during the home viewing to provide a live verbal report. While you’re touring the property, the inspector conducts a condensed 45 to 60-minute non-invasive visual survey of the property’s major systems in a limited capacity.
As an advisory service, this delivers some transparency prior to the offer, although it’s not nearly as detailed as a full inspection where inspectors can go on the roof, look into the attic, and so on. We always encourage a full inspection but, in elevated market conditions when a full inspection isn’t plausible, buyers and buyers’ agents need some reassurance and guidance. As an added bonus, after the offer has been accepted, the inspector can return to complete a full inspection at a reduced rate, which will include a digital report, warranty and lifetime appliance safety recall monitoring.
2. Pre-offer property inspection
The inspector completes a full inspection pre-offer, which includes a digital report, warranty and lifetime appliance safety recall monitoring. Major systems are evaluated, including the interior, heating/cooling, electrical, plumbing, exterior and roofing. This comprehensive report becomes the property’s operations manual, which details deficiencies, safety concerns, system shut-off locations and maintenance suggestions.
Complimentary technical advice is included for as long as the client owns the home when they’ve opted for a full inspection service. While having an inspection pre-offer works well for mitigating risk for buyers and buyers’ agents, there’s a growing trend where sellers and sellers’ agents are also setting a conditions inspection date to ensure any potential buyers who plan on making an offer can have an inspection completed that day to help set their minds at ease and gain added confidence in the property.
3. Technical advice during viewing
A professional inspector is your valued partner and a good community member. This means that even if there’s no obligation for you to send business their way, the inspector is available to provide complimentary technical advice. While this has always been offered to any client who has had an inspection with us, we’ve now extended the free technical advice to anyone who wishes to buy a home and has questions. All you or your client have to do is snap a photo/video and text or email it to any inspector, and we’ll offer free technical advice on that questionable issue to help ensure your buyer is confident in making an offer.
Verbal and technical advice pre-inspection services can never replace the value of a full inspection, which not only provides buyers with a list of precautions, safety and maintenance issues, but also helps them understand the inner workings of the property. These advisory systems are, however, extremely helpful in elevated markets when it’s just not possible to have a full inspection completed pre-offer.
Darci Campbell is a regional owner and member of the National Leadership Team at A Buyer’s Choice Home Inspections, as well as the owner of multiple businesses. As a Canadian businesswoman, entrepreneur and investor, she’s driven by helping other entrepreneurs grow their companies through creative thinking and consistent efforts. She can be reached at: darci.campbell@abuyerschoice.com
