Consider having a home inspection to increase your home appeal to all buyers. A pre-listing inspection helps sellers discover flaws in their home that they might want to address before sale, or even items they might not be aware of but some savy purchasers might spot. Since the buyer will use his or her inspection to gain information on issues that could justify renegotiation or even abandonment of the purchase, it's important for you to know your home's condition -- even if you don't plan to do work on the property. A pre-listing inspection also creates a positive marketing tool that you or your agent can use to promote your home. Every pre-listing inspection by Napoleon Home inspections includes a complete report with pictures of major areas of your home to assure potential buyers that your home has been pre-inspected and is move-in condition. This can be a potential saving for the prospective buyer if they forgo their own home inspection.

Pre-Listing inspections also help you prepare your home for the best possible results during a buyer's inspection. Minor items that are inexpensive to repair might be a highlight in your purchasers inspection report. That small investment in a pre-delivery inspection can pay big dividends when closing your deal. Gestures as simple as changing burned-out indoor and outdoor light bulbs or scraping windows that have been painted shut could prevent the mistaken impression that the house has electrical flaws or outages or that none of its windows open. Replacing filters in furnaces and air conditioners, cleaning ducts, and adjusting door knobs and locks can all help with your buyer's inspection. You'll also need to provide keys to exterior structures, and unblock access to attics, and crawl spaces. Holes in vapour barriers, fume barriers and missing downspouts can give the impression of a home that has not been cared for. Purchasers will normally assume that if the items they can see are not looked after, neither will the ones they can't see.

In any real estate market, timing is everything. Having a complete professional report will give prospective buyers an opportunity to make a quicker decision based on your report, saving valuable time for the purchaser.

If you're planning to sell your home in a for-sale-by-owner (FSBO) transaction, a pre-listing inspection is a particularly important marketing tool. While many FSBO sellers have a sophisticated knowledge of their property and its value, FSBO sellers are also stereotyped by buyers' agents as over-optimistic about the value and condition of a home. Buyers who are looking at traditionally-listed as well as FSBO homes will be more comfortable making offers on a FSBO property if the owner shares a pre-listing inspection report. This usually indicates that the seller has no defects that are being intentionally undisclosed and also allows them to set there price much closer to the actual selling price they require. Purchasers not having a pre-inspection must deal with the unknown with an older home and will often allow for some unforeseen defect causing re-negotiation of price. Caveat Emptor ?Let the Buyer Beware?

The "Barrie Home Inspector" provides a professional home inspection for $199.00 which includes one free WETT inspection. We are fully insured and offer a 100% money back guarantee if not completely satisfied. Visit our web site for complete listing of "Do It Yourself" articles for home owners and a forum "Ask the Experts" which provides professional advice from tradespeople.