Real Estate Agent? Here's Why You Should Refer All Your Sellers to a Foundation Contractor
If you are a real estate agent, you know the importance of preparing homes for sale so they attract prospective buyers. However, it may be more important to make the closing process run as smoothly as possible so the closing goes more quickly. It can be a bit defeating to have mortgage companies and homeowner's insurance companies deny applications due to structural issues, particularly in the foundation.
The structural integrity of the foundation of a home is crucial to the safety of the entire home. Real estate agents should refer their clients to a foundation contractor to inspect the structural integrity of the homes and, if necessary, make repairs prior to listing the homes on the real estate market.
Conduct Inspections & Repairs Before Listing to Help Prospective Buyers
One of the best ways to be prepared for a buyer's home inspection is for the seller to already have a foundation inspection done prior to putting their house up for sale in the real estate market. This inspection of the foundation is called a pre-listing inspection and can help the current homeowner decide whether or not to do repairs to the foundation before listing the property for sale.
The reason to do this is so there aren't any surprises later that could result in the buyer being unable to secure a mortgage or homeowner's insurance due to a significant fault or damage in the foundation. Foundations in poor condition can result in significant losses in the future, which is why lenders and insurance companies often require foundations to be repaired before closing.
Complement Foundation Repairs With Waterproofing
For homes that have foundations in severe disrepair as is often found in lakeside communities or areas where the water table has shifted, it's a good idea to complement the foundation repairs with foundation waterproofing. That way, after the repairs are done to the foundation and the basement or crawl space is waterproofed, you can list the homes as having these features that buyers are looking for. And, your clients may see a larger return on investment if the additional features result in a bidding war between prospective buyers.
Some foundation repair contractors can also do foundation waterproofing, but some foundation waterproofing contractors do not do foundation repairs. Therefore, it's important to work with a contractor who specializes in foundation repairs as your main concern is the structural integrity of the homes you are listing for sale.
Talk to a foundation company, such as Tillotson Enterprise Inc, to get help with a foundation.