Pre-inspections are becoming more and more common. If you’re not sure what a pre-inspection is, it’s a home inspection done by a seller before a home goes on the market. It has several benefits. First, depending on the area and the type of home, buyers may expect to see a pre-inspection. If one isn’t available, they might think there’s something to hide. Second, buyers may be more likely to make an offer if they don’t have to spend money on a home inspection, especially when there’s a chance their offer won’t be successful because they’re in a multiple offer situation. Third, most buyers won’t bother making their offers conditional on inspection when there’s a pre-inspection. This increases the chances you’ll receive a firm offer unless the buyers need to make their offers conditional on something else, like financing. And fourth, if the inspection reveals a problem, it’s good to find out about it before your home goes on the market so it can be rectified or dealt with. The fewer surprises the better, unless they’re good surprises. Some buyers may choose to do their own inspections, but most buyers consider a pre-inspection to be a benefit and that benefit could result in a higher price and/or a quicker sale for you.

In the same way that it might be a good idea to do a pre-inspection if you own a home, it may be a good idea to order a current Status Certificate before putting your home on the market if you own a condominium. Since most condo buyers make their offers conditional on obtaining and reviewing a Status Certificate, the benefits of ordering one in advance are similar to those related to doing a pre-inspection.