How to Prepare for listing your House in Waco, Temple, Killeen area

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No home is perfect in Texas. Anything from major damage to minor maintenance issues are often found around Waco, Temple, and Killeen. Even NEW HOMES in Texas are not immune – they could have problems with the structure, plumbing, electrical system, heating and cooling system, or the roofing system just to name some.

For Central Texas homeowners, it’s important to be aware of any issues your home may have prior to putting it on the market. Getting a pre-listing home inspection will help to make you aware of any problems and can take care of them on your terms after the home inspection or present them as is and adjust your selling price proportionally. Waiting till the buyer has the house inspection can leave you open to costly surprises and delays, and even potential deal-breakers once you’ve entered negotiations after the home inspection with the buyer.

For buyers, a home inspection is vital to uncovering issues a home may have but are invisible to the untrained eyes. Even if the home inspector finds more problems than you’re comfortable with and you move on to a different home to start the process all over again, it’s money well spent. A home inspection will give you the opportunity to ask the seller to make the repairs before you buy, or to back out of the contract. So be sure to ask for the “home inspection contingency” when you begin to enter negotiations with the seller. This allows you to set a limit on the cost of repairs to the home and get a home Inspector. An experienced home Inspector is a good way to protect yourself from ending up with a home that requires repairs that you are unable or unwilling to pay for repairing.

Here are some other suggestions for homeowners:

Accessibility: Make sure that all areas of the home are accessible when the home inspector is going to be there, especially to the attic and crawl space and electrical panels. It’s also a good idea to trim any trees and shrubs that may make a home inspection of the exterior of the property difficult.
Housekeeping: The home inspector may photograph your home for the home inspection report, so clearing the clutter, stored items, and moving vehicles from the front of the home will help the home inspection go smoother.
Maintenance: Repair minor things like leaky faucets, missing/loose door handles and items that you know are in need of repair.
Refer to items that were called out in an earlier home inspection, when you purchased the property. All home inspectors have a different point of view and/or opinions. Inform the home inspector of issues that you are aware of that may be concealed, so that they can possibly be included in your Detailed Home Inspection Report, this will aid in eliminating surprises later.
Follow this link to see what is involved in a Wickman Inspection Services “Pre-Listing/Seller Inspection”. We offer a true Listing/Seller Inspection Program that exceeds the basic inspection and may help sell your property quicker and with less surprises.