News > Selling your Condo? Don't Fail the Inspection!

2021-03-27

It's exciting to get an accepted offer on your listed Scottsdale condo or townhome.  The buyer is probably equally excited to become a new owner as well.  But nothing can sour an escrow like an inspection that finds too many problems.  The best case is that the buyer is understanding that problems can almost always be fixed, but the worse case is that the buyer becomes disillusioned with the dream condo that you took so long to clean up and stage and decides to cancel. How to avoid that? Here are 2 suggestions:

Hire Your Own Inspector

One way to make sure that all the problems are fixed before you list your condo or home is to hire an inspector BEFORE you list.  That way you have a chance to fix any problems rather than trying to hurry with repairs during the escrow period, or worse, pay a premium to the buyer in lieu of repairs.

Inspections for condos cost anywhere from $350 - $550, depending upon the square footage.

An Alternative to Hiring an Inspector - DYI

Or, instead of inspection, you can take some time to check for the most common and visible issues.  We've compiled this list based on the many inspections we've been a part of.

• First, get your A/C system serviced.  A/C problems can scare buyers away during an inspection, or cause them to ask for a new system.  Get your system serviced, and let your service professional know you will be selling your home and ask that he check the Supply/Return temperature differential.  This is an important test that the inspector uses to make sure the system is working properly. And one more thing - change the filter and clean any return air grates.
• Check the bathrooms for slow running drains, drips under the sink pipes, or running toilets.  These repairs are mostly minor but they can add up in an inspection.
• Repair any drywall from past leak issues (but resolve the leak issue first if you haven't already!).  You still need to disclose the leak to the buyer but they don't need to see the result. 
• For a low rise condo or a townhome, walk around the building and look for termite tubes coming up from the ground along the stem wall (the concrete that starts at dirt level). This website has a photo of what to look for:  https://www.terminix.com/blog/education/termite-structures-101-what-is-a-mud-tube/ .  If you see one, notify your HOA to have them order a termite company to spray.    Check your garage base walls too!

If you know of any other minor items, it's a good idea to get them repaired before you get your first offer. Ideally, the inspector will find nothing or a very small list of repair items that can easily get negotiated. Or better yet, the buyer might just decide that the items are so minor they can be overlooked.

 

Though not guaranteed, information and statistics in this article have been acquired from sources believed to be reliable.

Related Links

• Sell My Scottsdale Condo