If you are selling a home, youll get the highest price in the shortest time, if your home is in top condition, therefore, it is best to indentify any significant defects before your house goes on the market.

Almost all sales contracts include the condition that the contract is contingent upon completion of a satisfactory inspection. This is known as the inspection contingency. Buyers will insist on a professional home inspection performed by an inspector they will hire. If the buyers inspector finds a problem, it can cause the buyer to get cold feet and the deal can often fall through. At best, unforseen problems uncovered by the buyers inspector will cause delays in closing, and typically you will have to pay for repairs at the last minute, or take a lower price on your home.

It may be better to pay for your own inspection before putting your home on the market. A pre-listing inspection can make the whole sale process much easier.  A key benefit of identifying defects in advance is it allows you to correct them, on your own terms, in a reasonable time frame and likely less expensively than if you had to make the same repairs quickly in the midst of negotiations. You could save thousands by simply being able to shop around and get competitive bids from contractors, rather than being forced into paying for a rush job at the last minute.  

You may also elect to present defective items as is and reflect them in the purchase price. Often, you can negotiate with a buyer to accept items in the current condition by stipulating that they are reflected in the purchase price. That same buyer, however, may walk away from the deal if the conditions come as a surprise, after an offer has already been made. 

In either case prospective buyers will appreciate your proactiveness and honesty regarding the conditon of the property allowing for a smoother transaction overall.