By Ed Henningsen, Henningsen Inspections

So you've decided to sell your home. If you're like most homeowners, you want to sell it quickly and for the most money you can get. And there's nothing wrong with that -- it's simply human nature.

However, most homeowners will need to invest money in their homes in order to sell them. Buyers want “Move-In-Ready” homes; the less work there is to do, the more salable your house becomes, which means quicker sell and -- potentially -- more money. If a house requires significant renovations, the price will typically be lower, and usually more than what the renovation work is worth.

A common first investment is to simply apply a fresh coat of paint to hide the years of wear and tear. This is well worth the investment. Remember, what do buyers want? “Move-In-Ready” homes!

But what about other improvements? A good -- and often overlooked -- investment that can save you money is a home inspection. For those who have never conducted or experienced a home inspection, know that there are many professionally-trained auditors out there. We'll look at everything from the landscaping, to the roof, the sump pump in the basement to the possibility of rodents in the attic.

Traditionally, our primary work has been on behalf of buyers, in order to help them make a more informed decision. The prospective buyer will receive a list of deficiencies found by the home inspector, usually requesting that you -- the seller -- make the repairs necessary for the sale to move forward.

You might be asking yourself, if the buyers is going to have one done, why should I? If you know someone who has recently sold their home, ask them about their experience. Chances are the buyer's home inspection yielded a few unwanted surprises. Or simply ask your broker -- they’ve probably seen it dozens of times. You'll probably hear a bunch of horror stories about trying to get contractors to do the work, unreasonable prices due to the rushed conditions, and the total stress the home owner experiences during crunch time.

Remember, when an offers is on the table, everyone is under time constraints. You only have a very short period of time to get things fixed. Your broker should provide you with a list of contractors. But contacting them and coordinating the work is time-consuming, and can be beyond frustrating. Not to mention the added cost of trying to do everything in a rush. It's unfortunate but true: Wait until the buyer has an inspection done, and you could end up paying top dollar to get a contractor to drop everything he's doing to help you.

Which is why a pre-listing inspection can not only save you time and money, but peace of mind as well. Your home inspector will identify the deficiencies and provide a report listing them. At that point, you can then decide which ones you want to take care of right away, and which ones the buyer may not be as concerned about.

As with everything else, a quick chat with your broker can help in parsing this all out. They tend to have a good feel for what is important, and which repairs you should be prioritizing. Most importantly, doing a preemptive home inspection means you can have the work done at a more reasonable pace, which translates to lower costs and less stress. Also, by correcting the deficiencies early on, you've helped make your house more “Move-In-Ready”. Which means what? You got it.

Now, keep in mind that no two home inspectors will yield exactly the same deficiencies. However, I'm farily certain they will find the same major deficiencies, which is what you want. What's more, he fee of a pre-listing home inspection is fairly cheap, and is commonly paid back from savings on contractor cost. Depending on the house, it could range from $250 to $500.

A home inspection takes just a few hours, and I highly recommend you be actively involved. After all, what you learn in selling your home can be used when it comes time to buy a new one.

Good luck, and if you have questions please feel free to contact me.