Cheryl Karr - Your Solid Source Realty Agent

  Typically, home sellers wait for a potential buyer to make an offer and then allow the buyer to pay for an inspection of the home before the transaction closes. But that could cause a lengthier closing process and negotiations over repair costs. As such, some home sellers are considering a pre-listing home inspection to try to resolve any potential hang-ups before they list that could hamper their closing. This can help many sellers who have tight deadlines to meet if they’re purchasing a new property themselves. Home sellers who do a pre-listing inspection will have a home inspector review their home and suggest any repairs that may need to be made in advance. “With a home inspection, you will have a much better understanding of any flaws or damage your house has and can price accordingly,” Redfin notes on its blog. “Maybe the house needs a new garage door, or there are issues with leaky pipes. If you decide not to fix the issues revealed durin...

  A home purchase is likely the biggest investment you will ever make. To protect your investment and your personal health and safety, you want to be aware of red flags that could signal significant problems with the home that you wish to buy. Structural red flags are the most serious because they threaten the integrity of the home. Look for large basement floor cracks and bumps. Doors and windows that are out of alignment, along with steps that have separated from the foundation, are all indications of settling of the home. Mold-related issues are often detected in older homes with deferred maintenance and may not have easy fixes. Keep an eye out for patches of black mold in the house as well as any mold-related odor, unventilated bathrooms or bubbled paint. Even an untrained eye can uncover red flags associated with destructive pests. Powdery residue around wood elements, grinding sounds, and hollow areas in floors and walls are indicators of wood-destroying pests. Droppings a...