How to Sell Real Estate So That the Buyer Has No Reason to Complain Later

In recent years, Estonia has increasingly seen cases where home purchases and sales have not gone as expected – buyers feel deceived and sellers face unexpected claims. Often at the center of these problems are hidden defects in real estate that only emerge after the transaction. Such situations could be prevented if the seller had an experienced real estate agent by their side – a professional who can guide the process throughout and help ensure that the transaction is safe and well-thought-out. In addition to involving a broker, there is one more important factor that every real estate seller should definitely keep in mind.

A hidden defect is non-compliance of real estate with the terms of the contract that existed before the purchase and sale transaction. The buyer has the right to be informed of hidden defects and can submit claims to the seller within three years after the transaction. What should a seller watch out for to prevent claims from following the transaction?

„The best advice is that when we put a home on the market and the owner cannot present the construction side themselves, we recommend having them conduct a pre-purchase inspection. When putting homes on the market, our golden rule to the owner is that they must tell us the truth and only the truth," emphasizes experienced and award-winning real estate agent Maia Karro, who owns Elamus Real Estate.

She continues that the pre-purchase inspection report shows whether there are, for example, cold walls, heat loss, some settling, water damage, something swollen and much else like that. „If the owner wants to sleep peacefully, then this must be done, especially if you don't know your property well, because you haven't built or renovated it yourself. For example: if you started with a roof replacement but didn't get to insulating it, you must definitely mark this to the broker if you decide not to order a pre-purchase inspection.

Condominium issues and household pests

When a person decides to sell an apartment in an apartment building, in addition to the apartment, they must also discuss the apartment building matters that are on the cooperative's agenda.

There are many examples of what else to document, but one problem can also be cockroaches or household pests.

„Again: tell the truth, only the truth, so you can sleep peacefully after the sale. If something is not documented, then later one person doesn't remember and the other doesn't know. Whether the buyer has read the report is already their responsibility."

„If you start reading the report later, you might get the impression that the property is somehow completely unusable. Actually, it's not," Karro encourages.

„If a pre-purchase inspection report has been made, then ask a specialist to explain all the contents in 'human language'. At first it may feel like a court ruling," Karro laughs. „But this is actually very good because it points out what is currently critical and what absolutely must be fixed first. The other part is recommended work that they suggest doing."

According to Maia Karro, people are often afraid that later they will find out about large drawbacks and the home's market value will drop significantly. „But my message is: so that you can sleep peacefully, order this inspection. And what is important to know – the price doesn't have to drop because of what is feared. But as a seller, you know the true condition of your home and a professional broker can then sell the home very successfully.

„If it's an older house or apartment and if the seller cannot answer questions, we have also encouraged the buyer to bring their own technical specialist. But the best is if the technical specialist is suggested by the seller's side," Karro knows.

For problem areas, also send an email to your broker

If a person experiences any problem within these three years, the first contact to reach out to is always the previous owner. „According to the law, the seller is responsible for hidden defects for three years, since they are the real estate owner. If an issue arises, the previous owner must be notified, but when sending an email, be sure to copy us. Elamus Real Estate brokers never disappear anywhere, and we still take an interest and want both parties to be satisfied," Karro confirms.

Broker together with all necessary cooperation partners

Over the years, Elamus Real Estate has developed firm cooperation partners, such as plumbers, electricians, painters, interior designers to recommend to clients. In the field of building protection, there is a firm cooperation partner who conducts the pre-purchase inspection. The range of services offered by good cooperation partners also includes a very important service that should definitely not be underestimated – pre-sale home cleaning.

The Elamus Real Estate team consists of competent and experienced brokers. It is good to note that today their team also includes long-time active broker Tiina Pern, who helps you find suitable real estate in Haapsalu and more broadly in Läänemaa. Tiina knows the local real estate market like the back of her hand, as she lives in Haapsalu.

Explore Elamus Real Estate's offerings and all the other capable brokers HERE!