Having a whole house inspection of your home prior to listing it can be a money and time saver along with making the process of selling your home easier on your nerves.  The process of selling your home usually includes a whole house inspection requested by the buyer.  The excitement of receiving an offer with terms and conditions you have accepted soon is replaced by the tension of "The Whole House Inspection."  That is unless you know your home will pass with flying colors because you have had your home pre-inspected and any issues that came up have been taken care of.


As you live in your home you become accustom to the quirks and issues that developed over the years.  Things like "you have to jiggle that light switch" or "skip the third step it is a little loose."  The pre-inspection will bring those and other issues that could cause a buyer concern to the forefront and give you the time and space to get them resolved.  Resolving issues as a result of a buyer's whole house inspection gives you only a few days to decide how issues will be resolved.  Most buyers will want their own inspection but knowing everything in your home is in order sure makes getting over that hump much easier.

Home buyers in todays market tend to lean toward new construction homes.  Sure new construction homes are wonderful with their inclusion of the latest amenities and smells of fresh paint and lumber but are they the best value?  If you have the time they can be.  When purchasing a new construction home consider how long you plan to live in the home.  Time matters.  The sale price of a new home is based on current material, labor and land costs.  The sale price and perceived value is usually at a maximum for that home and it can take a long time for the value to appreciate.  If you purchase enough home and it is in the location that can take care of your needs currently and in the future you can make purchasing a new home the right decision.

Consider the existing home.  Some homes have been left neglected and are in a state of repair.  Some need updating.  Some show pride of ownership and are updated, clean, neat and tidy.  Exiting home neighborhoods and subdivisions tend to be more established. Think of the old saying "It would cost a fortune to reproduce this home."  Within the same price range as a newly constructed home, existing homes tend to have more square footage, they can have as many or more amenities and the lots will usually have matured with trees and established landscape.  The level of repair or updating required will be reflected in the actual sale price of the home.  Making the necessary adjustments to the home to make it yours and have it reflect the current standards can generate a greater appreciation in value sooner than if you purchased a new construction home.

Compare for yourself a new construction home vs. an existing home with the same listing price:
    click on the images to get details       

There are differences between Condominiums and Zero Lot Line, Town Homes and Villas.  A  Condominium has the greatest difference from the other types of properties.  When purchasing a Condominium you are purchasing the interior space and an equally divided portion of the remaining common area.  The common area usually includes the exterior walls, roof, decks, porches, and any amenities like a swimming pool, boat dock, tennis courts etc.

When purchasing a  Zero Lot Line property you are purchasing the entire home including interior walls, exterior wall, roof, driveway and the ground the homes is built on.  Zero Lot Line properties are very similar to single family homes.  In fact the Villa type of Zero Lot Line property is usually a freestanding home not attached at all to its neighboring homes.  With a Zero Lot/Villa/Townhome the owner is responsible for maintaining their home entirely.  This would include the exterior walls, roof, driveway, decks as if the property was a single family home.  Any maintenance that is required on a Zero Lot property is paid by the individual owner at the time it is needed.

Both the Zero Lot and Condominium homes can have and usually do have a Home Owners Association.  The Zero Lot HOA is most often set up to collect a monthly fee to pay for yard maintenance and snow removal. A typical monthly fee would be $100.  The Condominium HOA requires a larger monthly fee which is held in an account to cover immediate and larger maintenance expenses that will occur in future years.  An example would be the residing of the entire complex or having to replace a roof that is 25 years old.  When buying a home that is legally described as a Condominium you will want to make sure that the HOA associated with the home is sound and all funds are accounted for.  The association must have included in its budget an item showing funds set aside for those major expenses that will need to be taken care of down the road.

At this time of year and as we move further into the holiday season homes on the market are exposed to fewer buyers but they tend to be serious buyers.  Buyers looking at this time of year usually have a greater motivation for moving.  It is very important to keep your home looking its best and ready to been shown to those motivated buyers.

We are very thankful for our clients past, present, and future.  We appreciate the trust you put in us when helping you sell or find the home of your dreams.  The relationships we have developed through our real estate business are cherished and we hope continue to grow.

The first step to take when looking for a home is to get a pre-approval from a lender you feel most comfortable with.  1862 Mortgage is a great place to find helpful loan officers.  Once you have been pre-approved and you know what price range you will be looking in, study the market before actually touring homes.  This will help you and your realtor focus on homes that will be in your price range and get you to your dream home faster.