A Seller’s Response to a Buyer’s Home Inspection Report
The home inspector was nitpicking; he was completely wrong in that statement; and he was complaining that a house built forty-five years ago does not meet up to current code. Sound familiar? Each inspector has his own style in phrasing his findings, and I might not fully agree with the different styles, but I only have an issue when an inspector is reaching to find a problem where there is none.
How do you deal with a buyer who is upset with the findings? I have become frustrated by some reports, and I would love to tell the home inspector what he did wrong, but this does not help the situation. You are still in the negotiating phase, and you need to work with the buyer to reach the goal which you both desire: the real estate sale. Here are steps in dealing with the inspection which concerns the buyer:
Situation One: the inspector points out a problem which you know he was incorrect about: let’s say that he says the oven is not working, but it is a new oven. The best option is to have a technician come out to look at the oven, and write a report as to its condition. However, it is an oven, and you may not want to spend that money. Buy an oven thermometer, and set the oven to a specific temperature to check the temperature with the thermometer. See for yourself if it is truly different. Now, on an air conditioning or electrical system would be better examined by a technician than by yourself.
Situation Two: the inspector mentions something which is easy to repair : my favorite example of this is the anti-siphon device on hose bibs. This is around six dollar part, which you can just screw onto the bib. Many repairs may be on your level, or may be handled by a local handyman. If they are a concern for the buyer, these repairs may not be too expensive, although if you look at prices inspectors list on their reports you could believe it may cost thousands ( a pet peeve of mine). Write a list of all of the repairs done to improve the house for the sale, and the repairs done due to the inspection report.
Situation Three: a major problem has been discovered which may incur huge costs to the buyer to repair. First is the problem immediate, or something that might happen? Immediate would be an issue like the foundation has been damaged in some way, and it needs a repair. In this case, you may need to negotiate a price reduction to help the buyer cover the expense, or have this done yourself. If it is a comment like the air conditioning may not last for the next year, then offer to pay for a home warranty for a year.
You have to remember that on many occasions that you will not know exactly what the inspector said, so do not argue directly. Show that there is another opinion if you feel that he was wrong, but other issues may not be major expenses; however, they are a concern for the buyer. Repair costs can be greatly inflated, so look at what the cost actually is through your own quote, or just handle the repairs on your own. If you want to sell the home, find a way to keep the negotiation going, and you may have a deal.
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Nick Gromicko Says:
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