Should the Buyer and Seller Be Present for a Home Inspection?

A thorough home inspection is crucial for the entire real estate sale process. Houses are large, complex, and expensive structures hosted on precious land, so the amount of money you invest is quite significant.

With so much money at stake, hiring a trusted home inspector is crucial for the buyer to know the property's true worth and for the seller to better understand what they can get from their home and what improvements will help equity.

A home inspection generally benefits both sides, but should the buyer and seller be present during the inspection? We’ll answer that below!

Should the Seller Be at a Home Inspection?

Most of the time, that answer is a resounding “no.” Having the seller present at a home inspection may hinder overall inspection quality. A trusted home inspector is mostly objective but advocates for the best details given to the buyer. So, having the seller present creates a subjective atmosphere that will not mix well with the home inspector's job.

Can a Seller Be Present During Any Home Inspections?

There is one exception to this “buyer/seller” rule. A seller may be present for a pre-listing home inspection.

A pre-listing home inspection is directly tailored to the seller. Before a seller puts their home on the market, a pre-listing inspection will help get a sense of the structure's inner workings and the property itself. This allows the seller to make fixes or slight remodels that might drop the overall closing price if the buyer's inspector finds that same issue.

Let the Buyer Get Comfortable

When buyers request a home inspection, they most likely want to go with the inspector to the property. It’s an excellent way for the buyer to get first-hand knowledge of the property as the inspector shows them what they’re looking for during their electrical or plumbing inspections, to name a few.

This last bit may not seem important, but it’s a massive part of the home buying process: letting the buyer get to know the home. Buying property is a huge step, so as the inspector digs up the finer details, the potential buyer will scope out the house and envision their lives in it. This process would be wildly uncomfortable when the seller is present.

Schedule Inspection With DMC Home Inspections

Whether you’re a buyer or seller, you need a trusted home inspection to ensure the best deal for you, so call on DMC Home inspections!

Schedule an inspection online or give us a call at 612-310-1692 today!