Pre-Listing Inspections

NationSpec performs a variety of home inspections throughout Katy. We also travel within a 75-mile circumference of our headquarters to perform inspections.

If you live anywhere within our service area and are thinking of selling your home, consider giving us a call to submit your home to a Pre-listing home inspection.

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Why have a pre-listing home inspection?

If you’ve owned your home for a few years and have decided to sell it because you’re downsizing or upsizing, you will already know any of the obvious flaws in the home.

 

• Does the toilet in the upstairs bathroom have a wonky flush lever?
• Is their condensation on the inside of the windows in the bathroom?
• Does a puddle of water form in a corner of your garage after a rain?

 

But there may be other problems, or at least areas that require attention, in your home, that you are not aware of.

If you have a pre-listing home inspection, you can find any of these issues and make the decision whether or not to repair them, before you open your home up to potential buyers.

 

But won’t a buyer order a home inspection?

95% of buyers will place into the purchase contract that their purchase of the home is contingent upon the results of a home inspection which they themselves commission.

If problems are found, they may request a discount on the purchase price, or that the items be fixed or repaired at the cost of the seller.

That adds another delay into selling the home.

It makes more sense just to find out and take care of any issues in advance.

 

What goes into a pre-listing home inspection?

A pre-listing home inspection is the same as any residential home inspection, expect that it is ordered and paid for by the seller of the home rather than the prospective buyer.

NationSpec home inspectors perform an extremely thorough, visual inspection of your entire home. We check the electrical system, the HVAC (Heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system), the plumbing system, and the structural system.

We also check each and every one of your appliances – not only to make sure there are no frayed or damaged cords, for example, but also to ensure that none of them are or ever have been under recall.

By law, manufacturers have to repair or replace a defective item that they sell. That’s why recalls are issued periodically. However, the average homeowner may never receive such a recall notice. We use RecallChek to verify every appliance in your home.

 

Structural system

Foundations can settle over time. If there’s a problem with a foundation it can undermine the entire house. We thoroughly check your home’s foundation, as well as sidewalks and driveways. We check sprinkler systems. We check that the home has proper drainage. We also take a look at the roof to ensure it is structurally sound.

Note that due to safety concerns an inspector may not be able to walk on a roof that is sharply angled. Drones or powerful binoculars are used to check these types of roofs.

 

Electrical system

The number one cause of home fires is faulty wiring. We check to make sure that the wiring in your home is up to code and that circuit breakers are wired correctly.

 

Heating, ventilation and air conditioning system

Heating a home in winter and keeping it cool in summer requires an HVAC system – a gas or electric-powered furnace, perhaps. The same conduits and vents are used for air-conditioning in the summer. We check to make sure everything is in good repair.

 

Plumbing system

Just like electricity, your plumbing system must be up to code. Elements we check include such things as whether or not the drain pipes are the correct size and slope correctly. Whether there are enough maintenance access ports (otherwise called cleanouts), and if the ports are properly placed for easy access.

 

Appliances

Frayed cords are dangerous and can cause electrical fires. Wrapping a cord with electrical tape may be a temporary fix, but it’s always best to replace an appliance if the power cord is damaged – especially if you’re selling your home.

We check appliances such as ovens, microwaves, refrigerators dishwashers, clothes washers and driers.

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NationSpec’s Visual Inspection Checklist