A Seller’s Survey

The vast majority of home surveys we provide are for people who have had an offer accepted on a new home, and wish to know about any serious issues before they go any further. However, we often get approached by homeowners or sellers who are worried about what may come up on a buyer’s survey and are wondering, should I get a survey before I sell my property?

 As a seller, you may want to know about any issues beforehand, or there may have been one or more buyers withdraw from the purchase of your property. For whatever reason, you may want to find out whether there is a common or justifiable issue or defect which may affect the saleability of your home. Once you know this, it will give you the information you need to put it right.

 A seller’s survey is a good way of pre-empting any nasty surprises. So, the short answer is yes, it may be worth getting a pre-sale survey if you are concerned about what a buyer’s survey may find, or if you want to have more confidence in your negotiating position.

 There are however some potential pitfalls:

 •         Home buyers and surveyors are individuals who have their own opinions. Your seller’s survey is not therefore a guarantee, and cannot predict everything that may be raised by your buyer or your buyer’s surveyor.

 •         Buyers usually have no obligation to show you their own survey report. Some buyers will use their survey as an excuse not to proceed, and so you may never know the real reason why they have withdrawn from the purchase.

 •         There may be circumstances surrounding a property which may affect its saleability but would not normally be picked up on a survey.  For example, an intermittent noisy neighbour.

 •         There can be issues which may deter some buyers but are acceptable to most. A good example of this is previous structural movement, or some forms of non-traditional construction.

Consistency

 As a firm of experienced surveyors, we would hope that in the vast majority of cases, our advice would always be consistent within the profession as a whole. What one surveyor sees as a major issue should also be seen by all surveyors. Similarly, what may concern one buyer should concern every buyer. In most cases this is true. But there will always be exceptions.

 The system is different in Scotland, but in other parts of the UK, if you approach your expectations in the right way, be aware of the potential limitations of this service and of the risks, and you will have a satisfactory outcome as well as vital information to help you negotiate with your buyer.

If you’re asking the question, Should I get a survey before I sell my property? This answer is yes, it can be a good idea in the right circumstances, speak to one of our friendly team to find out if it’s right for you. We’re happy to help and advise the best course for your circumstances. You can contact us via out contact form  or call us on  0330 088 5040 to speak to us. We are a friendly and approachable team of professionals who put customer service at the heart of all we do. We are RICS registered surveyors and valuers and cover the whole of the North West and North Wales.