Jennifer Darby Metzger and Ron Darby Broker co-owners of ERA Justin Realty offer ideas for sellers by ordering a pre-sale home inspection of their home. They, with their business associate Carol Darby and staff of Realtor agents stand ready to offer details. The firm has been a trusted name in real estate since 1950.

ERA JUSTIN REVIEWS INSPECTING THE HOME INSPECTOR, A CRITICAL LOOK

“Home sellers increasingly are ordering pre-sale home inspections to make reports available for buyers to review before they make an offer. By doing so, they hope to avoid renegotiations that can occur if the buyer's inspections reveal defects that weren't disclosed to them before they made an offer,” according to an Inman News report.

Ron Darby, ERA Justin Realty Broker co-owner offered, "Ask one of our real estate agents for a candid opinion of an inspector's reliability, an important aspect if you are doing a pre-sale inspection, as the inspector's credibility is important to your sale. If some of your agent's past clients used the inspector, call the inspector and ask for references. Check with friends who bought recently to see if they know the inspector, and if they would use him again."

The Inman News report continued, "Home inspections often recommend further inspections by other professionals, such as roofers, plumbers, electricians, drainage contractors or engineers. Few sellers complete all recommended further inspections before they market their homes. It's hard to tell from a written report whether a further inspector recommendation is in response to something questionable that the inspector discovered, or whether it's simply an attempt by the inspector to limit his liability.

Before you rely on a report, have a conversation with the inspector to find out if there are issues of serious concern that need further investigation. Inspectors will often be candid in a verbal conversation, but will attempt to minimize their liability with disclaimers in the written report. Also be aware that many home inspection reports include a statement that the report can't be relied on by other parties. This could mean the buyers if the report was ordered by the sellers. If you're concerned about this issue, talk directly to the inspector or consult with a knowledgeable real estate attorney to determine the extent of the inspector's liability to you for overlooked defects.

In competitive markets, where overbidding is the norm, many buyers choose to rely on the sellers reports and forego an inspection contingency. This may not be risky if the sellers have provided current and complete reports from reputable inspectors and the buyers have a wealth of home owning experience. Experienced home buyers have an advantage because they can often assess how much it will cost to repair defects even if the sellers don't provide estimates. Buyers who don't fall into this category should include an inspection contingency in their offer. There's a strategy that could improve your chances even if you end up competing with buyers who choose to waive their right to an inspection contingency. You can include an inspection contingency in your purchase offer, but also include a provision that you will pay up to a certain amount to correct defects that are uncovered that were previously unknown. This way the seller knows that you are a sincere buyer who won't back out due to minor defects that might be uncovered during your inspections.”

“All can be confirmed through Buyer's and Seller's attorneys at the inception of a transaction. There is a difference in real estate companies. We ask Buyers and Sellers to compare. We believe that in order to exceed expectations of what ERA Justin Realty is about, we don’t offer just real estate basics, we try to be as comprehensive as possible. In that way, we know that our Buyers and Sellers will hold us all in the highest regard,” added company Broker co-owner Jennifer Darby Metzger.

ERA Justin Realty received the prestigious ERA world-wide 2003 through 2012 ‘Commitment to Excellence Award,' one of very few from ERA real estate brokers and agents nearing 30,000. Only outstanding business entities are honored and receive it. ERA Justin Realty has been your trusted name in real estate since 1950.

For more information on real estate topics, consumers can reach the ERA Justin Realty sales team at either of their two Rutherford offices at 118 Jackson Avenue or 57 Park Avenue. By phone at (201) 939-7500, (201) 438-0588 or (201) 438-SOLD. Additional real estate information is also available at the firms 1000's of homes websites at www.ERAJustin.com and www.ERAJustinRealty.com.