Pre-listing inspection for sellers

Most inspections are ordered by buyers, which means the seller learns the findings after the offer is in. A pre-listing inspection reverses that. You get the report first, and you decide what to do while there is time.

Why sellers book one

• Older houses. The older the house, the more likely a buyer's inspector will find something that stops a sale. If you know about it in advance, it is a repair, a price or a disclosure instead of a surprise.
• Short subject periods. If a report is available when buyers visit, they may need less time, and may be more willing to remove the subject.
• Pricing. Knowing that the roof, the panel or the crawl space needs work helps you price the house honestly.
• A calmer sale. Fewer last-minute renegotiations.
• Insurance questions. Wiring, plumbing and oil tank questions can be answered with documents instead of guesses.

What we do

The inspection is the same as a buyer's: the roof, the exterior, the foundation, the structure, the attic and crawl space, the electrical, plumbing and heating, and the interior. The difference is who the report is written for. A seller's report speaks to you. It tells you what is urgent, what is cheap, and what a buyer is likely to ask about.

On the day, we talk through the main findings with you, then you take the report and decide what to do.

What to do with the report

You have four options for each finding.

1. Repair it before listing. This makes sense for safety items and cheap fixes. Keep the invoices.
2. Price it in. Where a repair is large, such as a roof or a panel, you can list at a price that reflects it.
3. Disclose it. Tell buyers what you know. In BC, sellers generally have to disclose known latent defects, which are problems a buyer could not find on a reasonable inspection and which make the home dangerous or unfit to live in. Your realtor or lawyer can tell you how that applies to your house.
4. Leave it. Some findings are minor, or typical for the age, and do not need action.

Sharing the report with buyers

Some sellers make the report available to buyers and some do not. It is your decision, and your realtor can advise on what suits the market and the house. If you do, remember that the report describes the day it was done. A buyer may still want their own inspection, and many will. A pre-listing inspection does not remove that.

We ask that you talk to us before passing the report on, because it was written for you.

What it does not do

A pre-listing inspection does not make the house sell for more. It does not certify the house to a buyer, and it does not stop a buyer from ordering their own inspection. It is a tool for you. It is most useful when you act on it.

Getting ready

The better the access, the better the report. See how to prepare your home for an inspection for a checklist covering access to the panel, the attic hatch and the crawl space, utilities, small fixes and paperwork.

Condos and townhouses

Condo sellers can book too. The in-suite scope applies, and it can be useful to know about moisture around windows or an ageing water heater before a buyer does. Strata matters, such as special levies and the contingency reserve fund, are outside the scope.

Booking

Phone or send a request. Tell us the age of the house, the size, whether there is a suite, and when you plan to list. See pricing and booking for how the fee is set.