Its better to pay for your own inspection before putting your home on the market. Having a pre-listing inspection done will make the whole sale process easier. Find out about any significant problems and get them corrected in advance, on your own terms. Or present the items as is and reflected in the purchase price. Otherwise, you can count on the buyers inspector finding them, at the worst possible time, causing delays, and costing you more money.

One of the key benefits of having the inspection done early, is that if there are any problems discovered that need to be repaired, you can have the repairs done on your own terms, on your own schedule. When a problem isn't found until the buyer has an inspection performed, the deal you've worked so hard to get done may fall apart unless you act quickly to get the repairs done. Or you may have to take a lower price, in order to keep the deal moving. In either case, you'll almost certainly have more headache, and spend more money, than if you'd known about the problem and had it repaired before negotiations began. You could save thousands by simply being able to shop around and get competitive bids from contractors, rather than being forced into paying for a rush job at the last minute.

You can also benefit from simply offering certain items as is. Often, you can negotiate with a buyer to accept items in the current condition by stipulating that they are reflected in the purchase price. But that same buyer may walk away from the deal if the conditions come as a surprise, after an offer has already been made. If the home is inspected before the house goes on the market you will be aware of the condition of the house before an offer is made. There wont be any surprises and the deal is far less likely to fall apart. It takes a lot of effort to get a sales agreement signed in the first place. If the inspection turns up problems, the buyer will want to negotiate a new deal and that second sales agreement is usually even harder to get done than the first one.

By having a pre-listing inspection done, you can identify problems early. Then either correct them or present them as is, assuring that the first offer you accept can move quickly and smoothly to closing without delays or costly surprises.

Inspection Checklist Foundations Roof & Gutters Exterior Walls Doors & Windows Insulation Porches &Decks Sidewalks & Driveways Plumbing & Fixtures Heating & Cooling Systems Water Heater Electric Fixtures, Switches & Receptacles Attic, Basement & Crawl Spaces Appliances And More ! 10 Ways To Speed Your Home Inspection: Confirm gas, water and electricity are turned on and gas pilot lights are burning. Ensure pets won't hinder inspection. Tell Realtor about cats or other animals to be kept inside. Replace any burned out light bulbs. Test all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Replace batteries if needed. Clean or replace dirty HVAC air filters. Verify filters fit and are properly secured. Move wood, stored items or debris away from foundation. Unlock or remove locks from any items the inspectors must access: *Gates in fences *Attic access hatches or doors *Electric service panels *Special closets * Crawl space hatches for pier-and-beam construction. Confirm areas and components are accessible by removing items blocking access to: *Electric service panels *Heating & air conditioning equipment *Water heaters *Ground fault (GFCI) electric receptacles *Attic access ladders or hatches Note: debris may fall when hatch is opened. *Crawl space access hatches for pier-and-beam construction. Note: remove items that might restrict movement in attic or crawl space. Trim tree limbs back from the roof and trim shrubs away from the house to allow access. Repair or replace broken, damaged or missing items: *Door knobs, locks & latches *Window locks & broken glass *Window screens *Anti-siphon devices on exterior faucets * Rain gutters & downspouts * Chimney flue caps Take these actions and your home inspection will go faster and will result in a "cleaner" inspection report - good news for you, your Realtor and your buyer!

Texas Association of Real Estate Inspectors, 2000