A home inspection is an important aspect of a home sale, and most of the time, sellers and buyers are confused about what to do and what to avoid. There are many misconceptions that get to them when it comes to home inspections, resulting in different questions. One of the most asked questions is, “Should seller be present during the home inspection?” To answer this in a single word, we’d say “Depends”. This answer depends on several factors such as the buyer’s comfort level, the seller’s willingness, and the type of inspection being conducted. Mind that we are talking about a buyer’s home inspection before finalizing the deal. But with a pre-listing inspection (that the seller pays for), it is completely fine.
The primary reason why a seller is not encouraged to be present during a buyer’s inspection is: they might interfere with the inspector’s inspection process. They might try to justify the condition of various aspects. This could potentially lead to a biased inspection report, which is not in the best interest of the buyer. Therefore, without a seller, the buyer and the inspector might be more comfortable during the inspection. They can move around the house and look for the issues anywhere and everywhere in order to perform a thorough home inspection. With this, if the buyer wants to ask questions from the inspector they can also do that without any formality.
However, the seller is not completely barred from their house during inspection. Some different reasons and instances encourage the sellers to attend the inspection. In this blog, we’ll discover why a seller should and shouldn’t attend a home inspection.
Why Should the Seller Be Present During Home Inspection
Having sellers around you during inspections is not always a bad idea. If the seller cooperates, there is a high chance that your inspection results will be more successful than you expected. There are different answers to why a seller should be there, and some of those are as follows:
It Is Their Home
You haven’t signed the deal yet, so it is still the seller’s home. So, first off, you can’t really tell them not to be there in their house. After all, the most they can do is ask or try to explain why something is the way it is. In fact, at times, most of the sellers also feel a sense of discomfort in leaving their house open for you without them being around. Besides, there could be different other (valid) reasons for them to be present. For example, they might have pets, and leaving the house open with pets is never a good idea.
A Transparent Deal
Whenever you think about buying a property, you expect a transparent deal. But that rarely happens. So, if you also wish for transparency, you must adhere to it from your side. By letting the seller attend the inspection, you also build a sense of comfort and ease for them. They would know what the red flags of their property are. They would also know about the information your inspector will share, which will help open a transparent communication between you and the seller. If you ask, they might also explain the potential issues and why they are not yet fixed.
Sharing the issues with the seller also opens grounds for less stressful negotiations. They’d have experienced potential issues beforehand, so they’d trust you with the inspection findings. Plus, they won’t have any ounce of doubt about the results. This will foster a better negotiation process, ensuring that you and the seller are on the same page.
Inspector’s Access
This is the most justified reason to have the seller on the property during the inspection. The seller usually has their belongings scattered around the house, blocking the inspector’s access. They might have wardrobes or personal items blocking the access to the attic. Or they might have some of the doors locked, and to access those areas or rooms, you need to have the seller on board. So, instead of rescheduling the inspection or paying for a re-inspection, it is better to let the seller easily move the items away from the way.
If you think the inspector will manage it all, then know that the inspectors are not allowed to touch the seller’s belongings. In fact, they entirely depend on the sellers to prepare the house for the inspection.
Home Knowledge/Paperwork
Sometimes, the inspectors are unaware of the renovations or might look for paperwork on the permissions or even shutter documentation. With the seller onboard, they can help the inspectors with the knowledge or documentation about when they renovated a specific space or the entire house.
Why Should the Seller Not Be Present at the Home Inspection
Negotiations
During the inspections, the negotiations are still underway, so if you and the seller are together, it might lead to conflicts during negotiations.
Inter-Personal Conflict
This can happen when you and the seller just don’t get together. You might feel like the house isn’t up to their standards and might also dislike the house’s design. Most of the time, you might also start discussing your remodeling or renovation plans with the inspector. The seller dislikes this; they often want everything to stay the same as it was before. All of this can again lead to conflicts and issues between both parties.
Get In the Way
At times, the seller doesn’t understand the “need” for the buyer’s inspection. They don’t get that during the buyer’s inspections; inspectors are supposed to keep some things confidential. Often, sellers ask questions of the inspectors, which they don’t get answers for. This ends up with sellers getting in the way of the inspection process. The situation becomes difficult to deal with as the seller is also allowed to be present during the inspection, and the inspector has to politely ask the seller to leave.
Conclusion
To navigate the inevitable awkwardness of a home inspection and ensure it goes smoothly, sellers should simply step aside. They should prepare their home beforehand, ensure all necessary areas are accessible, and then leave the premises during the inspection. If there are any concerns about answering questions, sellers can provide their cell phone number to the inspector. There’s no need to fear the inspection or defend the home against potential negative comments. Buyers understand that no home is perfect. A home inspection aims to give buyers peace of mind and set realistic expectations about any necessary work to avoid jeopardizing the sale. It is just one more step towards successfully selling the home.
Ensure your home sale or purchase is seamless and stress-free with Elite Inspections. Schedule your comprehensive inspection today and get the peace of mind you deserve. Contact us now to book an appointment.
