Negotiating Repairs After Inspection

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Good News: Your Inspection Did Its Job

The report landed in your inbox and it reads like a novel you did not want to buy. Deep breath. This is the moment the inspection earns its paycheck. It gives you leverage, options, and a clean path to protect your wallet without nuking a good deal. The goal is simple: fix what matters, price the truth, and keep closing on track.

What Actually Belongs On Your Repair List

Safety items: live electrical, missing handrails, ungrounded outlets near sinks, carbon monoxide alarms absent.
Water and structure: active roof leaks, improper grading that sends water toward the house, foundation movement, chronic moisture in a crawlspace or basement.
Major systems: furnace heat exchanger issues, air conditioner short cycling, significant plumbing defects, failed water heater.
Big ticket longevity: roof at or past end of life, failing windows with broken seals, corroded main water line.

Cosmetic stuff like paint touchups or a scuffed baseboard belongs on your future weekend list. Save your negotiation capital for the items that actually move the budget.

Choose Your Strategy: Repair, Credit, Or Price Drop

Seller completes repairs before closing: great when work is simple, clearly defined, and verifiable with photos and receipts. You avoid organizing contractors during move in.
Seller credit at closing: you do the work your way with your contractor. No guessing whether a quick patch was done. Confirm with your lender that the credit fits program limits.
Price reduction: simplest paperwork. Useful when a lender caps credits or when multiple issues add up.

Pick one lane per issue. Do not ask for a repair and a credit for the same problem. Clean requests get faster yeses.

Get Quotes Fast And Keep It Tight

Aim for one written estimate per category, not five. A roofer for roofing, a licensed electrician for panel and branch circuits, a plumber for supply or drain lines. Your addendum reads stronger when the number is backed by a professional quote instead of a guess from your cousin who once watched a tutorial.

Sample Addendum Language You Can Copy

Buyer requests a seller credit of $4,200 at closing in lieu of repairs for roof replacement as outlined on page 6 of the inspection report and confirmed by the attached estimate from ABC Roofing dated November 13, 2025. All other items are accepted as is.
Short. Specific. Referenced. Done.

Inspection Timelines: The Clock That Protects Your Earnest Money

Your contract likely gives you a set number of days for inspections and a separate deadline to request repairs or credits. Put both on a calendar right now. Send notices in writing through your agent before the cutoff. Timely delivery is what keeps your earnest money safe if you decide the house is not worth it.

Prioritize Like A Pro

Use this three bucket method:

Deal breakers: structural failure, chronic water intrusion, widespread unsafe electrical with no panel capacity. If the seller refuses meaningful action, walking may be smarter than forcing a fit.
Budget movers: aging roof, HVAC on its last legs, window seal failures. These are perfect for credits or price adjustments.
Deferred maintenance: gutters packed with leaves, slow sinks, loose railings. Ask for small repairs only if they are safety related; otherwise handle after closing.

How To Present Your Requests Without Drama

Open with appreciation and clarity: you still want the home, and these requests match the findings.
Attach the inspection pages and estimates that support each line. No info dumping.
Offer a choice: repair or credit. Sellers feel more in control when they can pick the path.
Keep the list short. Three focused items beat fifteen petty ones.

What Sellers Usually Say Yes To

Safety fixes: GFCIs, missing smoke or carbon monoxide alarms, simple handrail installs.
Active leaks: nobody wants a wet ceiling. Patching, flashing, or targeted shingle replacement wins.
Reasonable credits for aged systems: when the data shows end of life, credits make sense.

Sellers balk at wish lists and vague phrases like “repair plumbing issues found.” Be specific.

When The Seller Pushes Back

Still interested in the house? Try one of these:

Split the difference: meet in the middle on a credit or price cut.
Narrow the scope: target only the highest priority items.
Shorten timelines elsewhere: agree to a quicker appraisal or close date to sweeten the deal.

If the numbers still hurt, it is okay to step away. Better to lose a house than to inherit a money pit.

Lender And Appraisal Landmines To Avoid

Large lender credits cannot exceed program limits. Ask your loan officer where the cap sits before you negotiate. Big visible defects can also spook an appraiser on certain loan types. If the fix is obvious, a pre-closing repair plus a fast reinspection keeps the file clean. Small planning now prevents a last minute scramble later.

Do Not Forget The Boring Stuff That Saves Thousands

Gutters that dump water next to the foundation. Downspouts missing extensions. Negative grading that tilts dirt toward the house. A ninety minute and thirty dollar drainage tune up can stop years of moisture headaches. It will never trend on social media. It will always be worth it.

New Construction Still Needs A Punch List

Brand new does not mean perfect. Ask for a pre drywall inspection if you are early enough and a final inspection before closing. Seal gaps, insulate properly, check grading, verify attic ventilation, and make sure bath fans vent outdoors. Your builder may roll eyes. Your utility bills and drywall will not.

How To Keep Momentum After You Agree

Get the addendum signed the same day you reach verbal agreement.
Schedule any required reinspections immediately.
Send receipts, photos, and permits to the lender and title proactively.
Update your personal budget to reflect what you will handle after closing.

What To Budget For After The Dust Settles

Your inspection list shapes your first year plan. Set aside a monthly reserve for the next likely replacement and give yourself breathing room for small surprises. If you need a baseline gut check on payment comfort, revisit how much house you can afford with credits and repairs factored in. And for the sneaky extras that pop up at the worst time, read through the hidden costs of buying a home so the line items do not ambush you.

Keep Your Eyes On The Finish Line

Negotiating repairs is part of the marathon, not a plot twist. You will still need to clear underwriting, title, and insurance on schedule. If you want to double check where you are in the sequence, skim the home buying timeline from pre-approval to closing and make sure each domino is lined up.

Scripts You Can Use With Your Agent

We want to keep the deal simple. Please ask for a credit of $2,850 for the water heater and faulty flue, backed by the attached estimate. We will handle the work after closing.
If the seller prefers to repair, we will accept licensed work with receipts and photos uploaded to the file five days before closing.
If they decline the credit, we are open to a price reduction of the same amount. We will not submit a laundry list of small items.

Red Flags That Justify A Hard Stop

Active leaks the seller refuses to address.
Foundation movement with no engineer evaluation offered.
Aluminum branch wiring or widespread unsafe electrical with no panel capacity and no repair plan.
Moisture and visible mold in multiple rooms with a denial instead of a remediation proposal.

You are not bailing because a hinge squeaks. You are protecting your health and finances.

Tools That Make Post Closing Easier

Thermal leak detector: hunts down drafty trim and outlets in minutes.
GFCI tester: quick check for outlet protection where water lives.
Gutter extensions and splash blocks: boring heroes that keep basements dry.
Dehumidifier for basements: cheap insurance for comfort and longevity.

None of these require a contractor. All of them make homes feel better and last longer.

Bottom Line

Your inspection is not an alarm bell. It is a blueprint. Focus on safety, water, structure, and major systems. Back requests with real quotes. Offer the seller a clean choice between repair, credit, or price change. Keep timelines tight and paperwork tidy. Do that, and you will cross the finish line with a house you love and a budget that still likes you back.

Remember – you actually have a lot of leverage to get this stuff fixed (in a normal market). Why? Because, assuming this deal blows up, the next buyer will have an inspection as well and the same items will show up on that report. Sellers know that. Go get it done.