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It took us six months to make our home "sale ready". That meant minor repairs, decluttering, staging. Basically turning a ten year old lived in home (with two small children!) into a near model home.
I appreciate your sharing your experience. We're in a similar situation - have two toddlers as well, and we've lived in our home for several years. And I'd likr to not only do the repairs, but also put items into storage / box things up to move so the house is staged and looks roomier.
My Realtor and my SIL (an attorney) have both said to NEVER get a home inspection before you sell. Leave that up to the buyers. Anything that comes up, you then have to disclose. And if your inspector misses something, and the buyers discover it later, guess who's getting sued? And inspectors always miss something. Besides, a smart buyer will get their own inspection whether you have one or not, so it doesn't really save you any trouble or money in the first place.
Maybe circumstances vary from state to state, but I have never heard of an instance where it was good for a seller to get an inspection.
Incorrect. The seller doesn't have to disclose the inspection report to the buyer. The report belongs to whomever pays for it. Typically, buyers are the parties who get home inspections, but sellers do too. The reverse is true. The seller doesn't see the buyer's inspection unless the buyer chooses to show it to them, which is rare. My wife is a home inspector, and she occasionally does home inspections for sellers so they are aware of what issues the buyer may present to them. The seller's disclosure form is very general. It asks questions like, "Have you have foundation problems/foundation work done? Have you had wood destroying insects activity/treatment? Has the house been flooded?" That type of thing. And sellers know the answers to these questions whether they have a home inspection done or not.
As for the best time to sell, it is typically summer. The biggest reason is the kids are out of school, so it's easier for parents with school aged kids to move, but you also have retirees being more mobile in warm weather, so they can house hunt, and the fact that people without children often take their vacations in summer, so they have more time to move. All these people comprise a large segment of your buyers, thus summer is the best time.
Incorrect. The seller doesn't have to disclose the inspection report to the buyer. The report belongs to whomever pays for it. Typically, buyers are the parties who get home inspections, but sellers do too. The reverse is true. The seller doesn't see the buyer's inspection unless the buyer chooses to show it to them, which is rare. My wife is a home inspector, and she occasionally does home inspections for sellers so they are aware of what issues the buyer may present to them. The seller's disclosure form is very general. It asks questions like, "Have you have foundation problems/foundation work done? Have you had wood destroying insects activity/treatment? Has the house been flooded?" That type of thing. And sellers know the answers to these questions whether they have a home inspection done or not.
As for the best time to sell, it is typically summer. The biggest reason is the kids are out of school, so it's easier for parents with school aged kids to move, but you also have retirees being more mobile in warm weather, so they can house hunt, and the fact that people without children often take their vacations in summer, so they have more time to move. All these people comprise a large segment of your buyers, thus summer is the best time.
It is absolutely correct. If you know there is a problem with the house and don't disclose it, you are very much on the hook in a lawsuit. It has nothing to do with who sees the inspection report. Perhaps it varies by state, but that is very much the case here.
On the one hand, Spring is the best season, but really anytime is a good time to put a house on the market when you are in a seller's market. People say, "Don't list your home in October," but there is a segment of people looking to buy for a variety of reasons before the end of the calendar year.
The danger in waiting is that something unforeseen happens and the market shifts or interest rates rise reducing the buyer pool.
It is absolutely correct. If you know there is a problem with the house and don't disclose it, you are very much on the hook in a lawsuit. It has nothing to do with who sees the inspection report. Perhaps it varies by state, but that is very much the case here.
U R Wrong.
The OP is in NC and there is no requirement to disclose known defects.
Only to NOT lie about them.
I had an inspection done as a seller and I am glad that I did. I don't like "ignorance is bliss" and end up being blindsided when the buyer does their inspection. Thankfully all of the issues in our home were minor. We fixed some, we didn't fix others (i.e. bringing our 2004 house to 2015 electrical standards for example). The buyers' inspector found nothing worthwhile noting and the buyers in turn did not ask us to make any repairs. Personally, I'm comfortable with being open when it comes to such a major decision as homebuying.
I did disclose the report on the Texas Seller's Disclosure Notice. Didn't make a bit of difference. You don't HAVE to repair anything, just like you wouldn't have to repair anything if the Buyer's inspector finds issues. You can only claim ignorance but so much because when the buyer does their inspection (which they should and almost everyone does when it comes to an older house), they'll find out about the leaky pipe problem that you didn't disclose or "didn't know about". we had an easy peasy selling experience because we came prepared.
I appreciate your sharing your experience. We're in a similar situation - have two toddlers as well, and we've lived in our home for several years. And I'd likr to not only do the repairs, but also put items into storage / box things up to move so the house is staged and looks roomier.
Yup, take your time. Do it right. List it when you're ready. Somehow agents drum up buyers. I'm glad we purchased in the winter! We ended grabbing a sweet home that would have not been available months later. The homes that became available in the spring were priced higher and had less sq footage.
I have no idea. I can tell you when the best time to sell is in my own town. Maybe your agent can advise you about timing in your own exact market.
Generally, in the colder months, there are fewer buyers but fewer listings and the buyer are serious. In better weather, there are more buyers, more listings, and a larger percentage of lookie-loos.
I hadn't considered that angle, about the serious vs lookie-loo buyers. That could be important in places that already have a big summer supply of lookie loos circling around.
On the one hand, Spring is the best season, but really anytime is a good time to put a house on the market when you are in a seller's market. People say, "Don't list your home in October," but there is a segment of people looking to buy for a variety of reasons before the end of the calendar year.
The danger in waiting is that something unforeseen happens and the market shifts or interest rates rise reducing the buyer pool.
Good point.
Many people think we're at the peak of the housing market. Next year could well be softer. It's not something you can time.
An imperfect home in a hot market will sell just as fast, if not faster, than a model home in a cooler one.
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