If you’re a seller, the home inspection can be one of the most anxiety-inducing parts of the selling process. You never know what the inspector is going to find – and if they find something wrong with your home, it could scuttle the sale entirely.
But don’t despair! In this blog post, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about home inspections, including what they are, who does them, why they’re important, and how to handle repair requests from buyers. By the end of this post, you’ll be an expert on seller inspections and repair requests – so let’s get started!
Types of Home Inspections
When selling a property, home inspections can be a crucial step. However, you may not know exactly what these home inspections encompass. The most common home inspections typically include mechanical, chimney, and wood destroying insects. Additional environment-related home inspections may also be necessary depending on the home and its surrounding area. For example, do you have a well on the property? Most buyers would request a separate well and septic inspection if that were the case, so that in mind when reviewing contract offers. Consider discussing with a real estate professional on which types of home inspections you should accept, and which ones might be unnecessary and clutter up the contract.
What Exactly are Inspection Contingencies?
What are inspection contingencies? Essentially, they offer the buyer time to bring in a licensed professional to inspect and examine the property to see if there were any underlying issues that either were missed when listing, or went undisclosed. They also offer the buyer a way out of the contract if the inspections reveals too many repairs or replacements that could become too costly for the buyer.  As a seller, you may want to negotiate with your buyer about which inspections they’re doing, as certain contingencies can add time and expenses. That being said, contingencies also protect buyers from taking on fees for unexpected repairs that weren’t disclosed by you!
Inspection Timelines
Inspection timelines are another part of the contract you can negotiate if you believe the buyers are asking for too much time.  In Maryland real estate, inspections and repair requests have to be conducted and submitted by an agreed upon date set out in the contract – once this deadline has past, your inspection contingencies have expired. Typical timelines range from about 7-10 days from contract acceptance. This gives the buyer enough time to schedule an inspector to come out to inspect the property. Keep in mind most inspectors schedule out quickly, so we recommend trying your hardest to work around the preferred date and time of the inspector, unless you absolutely cannot. The timeline of the inspection also factors in how long it may take the inspector to send over a report to the buyer, and for the buyer and their agent to review and draft up a property inspection notice for repair requests if necessary. Inspectors usually take 24 hours to send over the report, and the buyers want to be thorough when reviewing and drafting a repair request to make sure everything they need is covered, so that will be additional time they need.Â
Negotiating Repair Requests
For Maryland real estate, negotiating repair requests is a tricky process, requiring patience, knowledge and sharp negotiating skills. It can mean the difference between a property selling quickly or staying on the market for months. As the homeowner, you can handle negotiating repair requests  on your own, or hire an expert to do so for you. If you choose to negotiate for yourself, try to stay focused on what is important to the contract. If the buyer is asking for too many repairs that will cost you too much time or money, negotiate to have those removed while agreeing to complete other repairs. This includes negotiating with the buyers as to what repairs they want to complete, who will do the work and how much the repairs will cost. You also need to decide on a reasonable timeframe to complete all repairs so that all parties are satisfied. Remember – a successful negotiation is one that leaves both sides happy!Â
You don’t have to complete this task alone when selling for sale by owner, however. Flat fee services are available through our partner brokerage to help you create, review, and/or negotiate repair requests.Â
Do Home Inspectors Need to be Licensed in Maryland?
Tt’s essential to make sure that the inspector the buyer chooses is a licensed and experienced inspector to do the job. It is your home the inspector will be working in, and you want peace of mind knowing nothing will be damaged or broken during this process. The contract also heavily depends on the results of the inspection, so having an inspector who knows what they are looking for and is familiar with the type of property and location you have is key to getting to settlement. If the inspector doesn’t know what they are doing, they can provide incorrect information to the buyer that could put everything in jeopardy and could cause the buyer to break the contract.Â
Maryland requires inspectors to be certified by the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing & Regulation if they provide services such as estimating repair costs in connection with real estate transactions including Maryland home inspections. Hiring a licensed Maryland inspector means being confident that they have the necessary qualifications and expertise needed to properly complete do the inspection.Â
Completing the Repairs Yourself Vs. Hiring a Professional
When it comes to completing the repairs necessary on your Maryland real estate, it can be a tricky decision to either undertake yourself or hire a professional. While you may be skillful enough to complete some repairs, others could require more expertise than you can provide. This can be an especially important factor when it comes to home inspections and negotiating the necessary repairs before you can purchase. As such, it’s worthwhile to take into account how much time and money can be saved in the long run by using a professional – as these can add up very quickly if you’re not careful! It can seem tempting to take on the repair project yourself but often times it’s best left to a professional. Keep in mind buyers could request that all repairs be completed by a licensed contractor, so unless that applies to yourself, you must either adhere to that agreement, or negotiate that out before signing any repair requests. Ultimately, it’s worth considering both options to determine which is most advantageous for you in regards to Maryland real estate negotiations.
Inspections & Repairs: Closing Thoughts
When it comes to completing the repairs necessary on your home, it can be a tricky decision to either undertake yourself or hire a professional. While you may be skillful enough to complete some repairs, others could require more expertise than you can provide. This can be an especially important factor when it comes to home inspections and negotiating the necessary repairs before you can purchase. As such, it’s worthwhile to take into account how much time and money can be saved in the long run by using a professional, as well as the quality of the work you are capable of doing. It can seem tempting to take on the repair project yourself but often times its best left to a professional. If ever you’re unsure what is right for you, reach out to us now to discuss all of your options and your best course.