Negotiating After the Inspection

The inspection is leverage — use it wisely

A home inspection report is more than information; within your inspection contingency period it is a negotiating tool. But the goal is not to nickel-and-dime every minor finding — it is to address the issues that genuinely affect the home's value or safety. Knowing the difference is what makes a negotiation effective.

Your options after the inspection

• Request repairs. Ask the seller to fix specific items before closing, ideally by licensed professionals.
• Ask for a credit or price reduction. Take a closing credit or lower price and handle the repairs yourself, on your own terms.
• Proceed as-is. Accept the home knowing its condition, having budgeted for the work.
• Withdraw. If findings are serious enough and your contingency allows, walk away.

What to prioritize

Focus on safety items and big-ticket systems: a failing furnace, a deteriorated sewer lateral, a recalled electrical panel, structural concerns, or active water intrusion. Routine maintenance — a worn washer, a sticking door — is generally not worth spending negotiating capital on.

Let the documentation do the work

A photo-supported finding is far more persuasive than a vague concern. The report's documentation — and any recommended specialist evaluations, like a sewer scope confirming an offset — turns your request into a specific, defensible item rather than an opinion. Work with your agent on strategy, but let the inspection give the request its weight.