Certified Pre-Owned: A Seller’s Secret Weapon

Here’s why our Certified Pre-Own program is a seller’s best friend.

We’ve been doing the Certified Pre-Owned home program for several years now, and it’s a fantastic marketing feature for our sellers. However, there is a more thoughtful intent behind it than simply maximizing appeal to buyers. We often find that one of the most stressful aspects of the home-selling process for sellers is the home inspection—quite understandably. No one’s thrilled by the prospect of letting a complete stranger into their home so that they can critique every inch of it. 

Worse yet, after having negotiated with your buyer down to penny on how this transaction will go, you’re hit over the head 10 days later with a second round of negotiations based on the findings in the inspection report. Your buyer’s reaction to simple fixes and trivial “issues” may be way overblown, and suddenly, the transaction can hang in the balance. So today, I’m discussing this crucial issue with Adam McCarty from Rightway Home Inspections.

During this difficult phase, we want to put our sellers in the driver’s seat. Well before the buyer’s inspector comes knocking, you’ll have already had your home vetted. You’ll know what major issues there are, if any, and you will have had ample time to craft your to-do list. You also won’t be surprised by the financial burden of repairs, either, as you’ll have had the time to figure the upfront costs of installing new flooring, making a roof repair, sealing up drafty windows, etc. Why wait until the negotiation phase to be blindsided by hundreds or thousands of dollars in repairs when you could get ahead of those issues now? 

As a seller, you don’t necessarily have to address every single issue that turns up in your home, but at least you’ll be aware of them all so you can hit the market with an appropriate target sale price in mind; your buyer won’t be given any extra leverage in the negotiation process. Here’s the best part: We’re offering a 13-month home warranty through Home Warranty of America. So, if there are any mechanical or structural issues with the home, those items will get repaired (and if they can’t repair it, they’ll replace it). This warranty will help you further assuage the concerns of your buyer when it comes down to brass-tax negotiations. 

If you’re a seller who wants to know more about our Certified Pre-Owned home program or has any questions about what the home-selling process will look like given your particular situation, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’d love to talk! Just give us a ring at (515)-575-9950 and we here at The Misty SOLDwisch Home Selling Team will happily field your call.