Home Staging & Pre-Inspection

HOME STAGING STATISTICS

*  98% of Realtors perceive staging as having value, yet 20% use it.

*  Studies show that staged homes sell, on average, for 6.9% more
than un-staged homes, or homes that aren’t property prepared to sell.

*  According to a National Association of Realtors survey, homes that
sold after four weeks on the market sold for 6% less than ones within
the first four weeks.

*  If you don’t stage your home, you will help sell the competition. 
According to the National Association of Realtors, prospects typically
view 9 homes when shopping for their new home.  If yours isn’t in
tip-top shape, you’ll help sell one of the other 8 they view.

*  Only 10% of buyers can visualize the potential of a home.

*  RISMedia reported on research by Dexma that 50% of mortgage borrowers are Gen Xers; ie: people born between 1965 and 1979.

*  92% of home searches start online for the above demographic.

*  79% of home sellers will invest up to $5,000 to get their property ready for sale, according to Maritz Research.

*  63% of buyers will pay more for homes that are move-in ready.

HOME SELLER’S INSPECTIONS

If you’re like most home sellers, you have probably
lived in your home for more than 5 years.  It is in these last 5 years
some major changes have occurred in the sale process of a home.

1.  Sellers Disclosure- the biggest change is the
requirements of providing a Sellers Disclosure.  You the home owner must
list all the known defects in the home.

2.  Home Inspectors- the home inspector is usually hired
by the buyer and arrives at your property after a contract is
negotiated to inspect and list any defects, questionable areas, upgrade
suggestions and maintenance.

When significant problems are found by the home
inspector the buyer may:  1) terminate the contract  2) or ask for
inflated amounts to have the problem fixed  3) or be so alarmed by the
defect found, will terminate the contract without giving you the chance
to fix it.

Either way your house is back on the market and the problem is still there for the next buyer to find.

The problem is the timing of the home inspection- the
trend is changing, and sellers are having a home inspection at the time
of their listing in order to repair or determine the condition of their
home and to use it as a sales tool.  A seller’s inspection will
virtually eliminate all the hassles and blown deals inspections cause
when the buyer brings their inspector.  It gives the leverage back to
the seller.

1.  No more renegotiations after the home inspection.

2.  No more alarmed buyers when the home inspector finds a problem.

3.  No more does the seller have to deal with inflated repair estimates that costs him or her money.

4.  No more countless hours and dollars in energy to get a contract that is “blown out of the water” by surprise defects.

5.  Above all, a seller’s inspection is the ultimate gesture of full disclosure and will help protect the seller.

How easy is selling a house with a seller’s inspection?-
If a seller’s inspection is performed and significant damage or defects
are found.  There will be dissapointment, but no hysteria or regret. 
No deal about to go sour.  The agent will discuss the problems with the
seller and will determine if this listing is “AS IS” with full
disclosure, or if any repairs need correcting to expedite the sale.  The
seller then corrects any problem areas, and calls for a reinspection of
the home.  The home inspector returns a clean report.  Next, a buyer
enters a contract agreement with the seller.  The buyer will choose to
trust the home inspection or will have another.  No major problems
should be found by the second inspection.  The deal coasts downhill to
closing.  Everyone is happy!

*Pre-inspection information courtesy of HomeGauge