When you do an FSBO, that means you are taking on all the responsibility, time, and energy it takes to sell your house on your own. Let’s say that again. On. Your. Own. Selling your homes has many steps. It means you need to prepare your home for sale, making sure to make any necessary repairs and renovations, then you must market your home, list your home for sale, show your home, and work through the long and oftentimes complicated escrow process.
Today, we will dive into how to handle the dreaded home inspection and house appraisal when doing an FSBO. If you are doing an FSBO, or for sale by owner, at this point in the game, you are tired and ready to put this deal to bed. However, the escrow process can many times be the most stressful and complicated step of the house selling saga.
THE DREADED INSPECTION
Let’s start with how to handle the inspection of your San Diego home when doing an FSBO. Now, technically in California, you are not required to do a home inspection. According to Bridgepoint Funding, “As a home buyer in California, you are not required to have a comprehensive property inspection. There is no law or regulation that says buyers must have a house inspected. It’s your choice. With that being said, a home inspection is certainly a worthwhile investment.” Although a home inspection is not required, you will find that most people looking to buy your home will want one. As a home buyer, a home inspection is extremely informative when you are considering making one of the largest financial decisions of your lifetime. According to Forbes, “The average cost of a home inspection is $340, with costs ranging from $200 to $500.” Although the inspection is an investment, it isn’t one that will break the bank. And it is important to note that the house inspection can reveal problems with the home that even the most experienced home owners may miss.
As the seller, the home inspection process can often be a dreaded one. This is when you are holding your breath until you get the inspection report, and many times, it seems like a term paper that is sent your way. Some of the red flags that could set off alarm bells are:
- roof issues: this can be as simple as repairs to full roof replacements
- plumbing: depending on the age of the home, this line item can require extensive work
- electrical: electrical issues are a hazard and need to be fixed
- mold: any mold that is found can be a scary finding and even cause a deal to go up in flames
- foundation: if there are significant foundation issues, get ready to lower your price, by A LOT
- windows/doors: replacing the windows and doors are a pricy endevour
- pests (termites): a true termite issue is not something you want to see on the report. Get ready to shell out some cash
- appliances: old appliances or appliances that aren’t working correctly are issues a new homeowner doesn’t want to deal with
- insulation and asbestos: According to Americspec, “Asbestos seems like a problem of the past, yet is quite common in homes built before 1980. In fact, this cancer-causing insulation material can even be found in things as simple as popcorn ceilings. While it can be removed safely, it requires expensive, professional removal that may be beyond what a client wants to take on.”
Seeing any of these items on an inspection report can be overwhelming when you are selling your home on your own, not to mention costly. Depending on the severity of the issues that are found, the dollar amount to fix these items could be extremely expensive. You need to decide what items you feel are worth fixing before the close of the sale OR you may choose to credit the seller a certain amount of money for the issues that have been found. This option allows the seller to complete the work on their own.
APPRAISAL TIME
The home appraisal is yet another part of the process that can cause stress and uneasiness, especially if you are doing an FSBO. You don’t have anyone to guide you through the ups and downs of the appraisal. The home appraisal is essential because the lender will be looking for the appraisal value of your home to determine the amount they will lend you. The amount you can borrow through a home equity loan will also will also depend on the number your house appraises for.
The appraiser looks for the characteristics of your home and neighborhood that will give a realistic number to what your home is worth. They will look for the location of your home, size of the property, condition of the exterior and interior of the home, square footage, and any recent improvements. They will also take a look at the comparable properties in the neighborhood and what those homes have sold for.
There are a variety of things can actually hurt a home appraisal:
- slow real estate market
- undesirable home location
- lack of curb appeal
- odd layout
- termite damage
- outdated home
- structural issues
- low amount of rooms and bathrooms
- signs of neglect
- lack of a good comp in the neighborhood
HOW TO SKIP THE INSPECTION AND APPRAISAL
One of the easiest ways to ensure a smooth home sale process, especially when you are doing an FSBO in San Diego, is to sell to a cash buyer investor like Trusted House Buyers. When you sell directly with Trusted House Buyers, there is NO inspection or appraisal. Yes, you read that right! We will take your home in any condition and can usually send an offer quickly that is non-contingent. That means the stress and worry that surrounds the dreaded inspection and appraisal process simply disappears. Selling directly to a cash buyer ensures that you get money in your pocket and that you walk away from your home without the hassles of prepping your home, listing your home, marketing your home, showing your home, and then navigating the appraisal and inspection process on your own. To learn more about how Trusted House Buyers can ease your house selling process, give us a call today at 619-786-0973.
