Appraisal and inspection BEFORE you SELL?

If you are planning to sell you home in or around the Lake Norman area, it is important to get an appraisal and an inspection report first.  There are a number of reasons for recommending this.  Lake Norman area home values have gone up while the real estate market has continued to be a great market for both buyers and sellers.  Making sure your home is properly priced and is in top condition will help YOU be ahead of the curve and will ultimately bring you more money and less headaches.

Reasons why you should get a home inspection and appraisal before you put your Lake Norman home on the market:

MAKE IT MORE ATTRACTIVE TO BUYERS

One of the best reasons to get your Lake Norman area home appraised and inspected before putting your home on the market is that it will be more competitive and buyers will feel more comfortable.  Too many people put offers in on homes only to find out there is something seriously wrong with the home.  The buyers are then upset because they feel they have wasted money on getting a home inspection and are now scared to buy your home.  More than likely, they will run.  You will have lost a sale and they will be angry because they spent time and money (not to mention  the emotional toll) on your home which they no longer want because they are scared of what else might be happening.  You will still have to get the repairs done but have lost the buyer.

Getting your Lake Norman home appraised before listing it is equally important.  In fact, it can save you lots of time and money!  What if you were to sell your home only to find out that it actually appraised for a good bit more than it sold for?  Or, what if you sold your home and then it wouldn’t appraise for the amount you sold it for?  Both of these situations can be very upsetting for all parties involved.  While many subdivision homes can be fairly easily assessed by a good CMA from your real estate agent, some of the lake homes or homes with land in our area are not so easy and errors can be made.  A real estate agent can make an educated assessment of what your home should sell for but we are not appraisers and sometimes there can be a difference.

LEADS TO HIGHER OFFERS

Another significant reason to get your Lake Norman area home inspected and appraised before listing it is the fact that it will lead to higher offers.  Having an inspection and an appraisal in hand becomes a strong selling point.  The buyer knows it has been recently inspected and are aware of any repairs, termites or other problems.  The buyer also knows it will appraise for approximately what the asking price is and there are no surprises.  Buyers don’t like surprises, especially ones that cost them time and money.  Having an appraisal and inspection done also makes you a more honest seller in the buyer’s mind because you took the time and effort to make sure you are selling them a good home and/or are giving them a full report and not hiding anything.  This makes the buyer feel more comfortable and often leads to higher offers since the buyer feels confident in the asking price and confident in the condition of the home.

LEADS TO MORE OFFERS AND LESS TIME ON MARKET

For the same reasons that getting your Lake Norman area home appraised and inspected before putting it on the market will lead to higher offers, it will also lead to more offers and less time on the market.  Your agent will likely advertise the fact that your home is pre-inspected and pre-appraised, this will increase the number of people who are interested in your home.  Once inside your home, your inspection report and appraisal should be proudly displayed where potential buyers can thumb through it and see for themselves what a great home you are offering for sale.  This make them feel more confident and comfortable in making an offer right away.

SMOOTHER CLOSING PROCESS

After the offer is made and a contract is signed, the most important thing is to see that it goes to the closing table as smoothly as possible.    Having your Lake Norman home appraised and inspected goes a long way toward preventing any issues between the contract signing and closing.  After all, you have already taken care of the necessary repairs and we have already determined the value of the home.  If not done in advance, those two things can be huge stumbling blocks and have lead to many contracts being cancelled.  In fact, issues arising from them are probably the #1 reasons why contracts don’t close.

BOTTOM LINE

Many buyers think that some sellers will try to cover up problems and only show the best aspects of the home.  Getting you Lake Norman home appraised and inspected will alleviate many concerns the buyers may have and help them to feel confident in their choice.  Having these things done in advance allows everyone to focus on on closing the deal.  It’s just good basic sales practice, you are providing all the information they need, answering any concerns they may have and providing PROOF that you home is as great as you say it is.

While nothing is guaranteed, getting your home inspected and appraised by licensed professionals puts you far above the crowd in presenting your home and yourself with the highest standards and allowing buyers to feel confident in your home and in working with you as a seller.

If I can help advise you on selling your home in the Lake Norman, Mooresville or greater Charlotte area, contact me today!  I have years of experience with real estate transactions and I know the area real estate market.

Lisa Alford