Homebuyers' sales agents or lawyers generally recommend an inspection. In this case, what's good for the buyer is also good for the seller. Because surprises are equally damaging to sellers of property, the seller should get a "pre-sale inspection".

While an inspection prepared for a seller will not be a substitute for a buyer's inspection, it nevertheless serves a useful purpose -- alerting the seller to potential conditions that could alter or delay a sale.

People who live in a house get accustomed to the property and may not see conditions as shortfalls that a potential buyer might. For example, a 22-year-old furnace may still be working wonderfully. But statistically, it will need replacement within five years. That's an outlay of $1,000-$2,500 that the buyer might not anticipate.

A professional home inspector is trained to notice what most people are not trained to see. An inspector serves as a detective, looking for existing or potential problems. With no vested interest in the sale of the property, the objective, diagnostic report of the home inspector will enable the seller to determine what needs repair prior to putting up the "for sale" sign.