Knowing your foundation’s health can empower you as a real estate seller
When selling a home, one of the most important variables you need to consider is the state of your foundation.
Buyers are very interested in the health their potential new home. As such, they will likely pay close attention to your property and expect you to take care of any arising issues.
Getting a foundation inspection done by a professional legitimizes the entire transaction ahead of time. In short, it shows that you have done your due diligence and that you were a good steward of the home.
Here are a few ways foundation inspections can legitimize your sale:
Enhances your credibility
Hiring a foundation inspector legitimizes your sale because the home inspectors aren’t experts in every field. Inspectors just call out a problem, but the contractors and experts come in to see what the real problem is and they work to solve it.
A home inspector might see a crack in the foundation, for example, that makes them believe a repair is necessary. However, as a trained foundation inspector would tell you, not all cracks pose a serious threat to your home.
Many concrete cracks are simply cosmetic in nature and can be easily fixed. If the home inspector’s assessment convinces your buyer that an expensive repair is necessary, you might be expected to cover the costs!
With a professional foundation expert, you can be much more confident in what your foundation needs in order to be considered healthy. Hiring a foundation inspector also shows any potential buyer that you have done your due diligence and you are a good steward of your home.
Foundation inspectors are on your side
If you don’t take care of your end, buyers might pressure you into doing everything – even perhaps more than you are required to do.
More often than not, buyers want to be sure there won’t be any issues upon move in. In pursuit of this, it is very common for buyers to hire their own foundation repair company.
When the buyer’s contractor discovers a problem, the potential buyer is much more likely to want the repair – even if it is unnecessary – because the responsibility falls on your wallet.
Instead of having someone inspect your home who is working for the buyer, it is best to get an opinion from someone who is one YOUR side that understands YOUR issues.
When you hire your own third party contractor, such as Waterproof Solutions, you gain a knowledgeable partner who has your interests in mind. They take an analytic view of your home and suggest the best routes to move forward. They can also vouch for you in the transaction, giving your argument more credibility.
Sooner is better than later
If you are selling your home in the near future, it is always better to get your foundation inspected sooner rather than later. The earlier a foundation company can detect and solve your particular issue, the more legitimate the buyer will view the repair.
Having a repair done six months prior to the transaction sounds much better than saying you fixed something last week because it shows your new foundation can stand the test of time.
In addition to the timing, finding the right company for the job is equally as important. Real estate agents try to stay in the middle of the road and usually call for the minimum amount of diligence for foundations.
A good real estate agent, however, contacts a credible and trustworthy company during the early stages of a deal. Instead of relying on the real estate agent, you can take control of the situation and seek out your own third party inspector.
Conclusion
Hiring your own third party to inspect your foundation empowers you when it comes time to sell. With a clearer understanding of what should be expected on your end, you can enter a sale as prepared as possible.
One important thing to keep in mind is that any problem can be solved. At the end of the day, it is just a house, and the right professional can fix any issue it has.
At WaterProof Solutions, we provide thorough inspections of each property we analyze in the St. Louis area. Our professionals emphasize transparency and fairness in all our dealings and focus on educating each of our clients about what we do and why it is necessary. To learn more about our foundation inspection services, give us a call today!