After the home inspection is completed it can be one of the more stressful parts of buying a home. No homes, even brand new, are ever perfect, so a good inspector will find flaws with any home out there, it is their job. They will often come back with list of a dozen or more things that should be considered and in some cases the list can be very long and in others it can even be a bit scary.
You are probably in a position now were you were super excited to get your offer accepted and now you are potentially second guessing that or worried if you ask for to much in a repair request that the seller will use the opportunity to back out of the transaction.
Now this is just my opinion but I am often asked what items I would ask for in a repair request. I should also caveat that this is based on a market that is relatively balanced between favoring the buyers or sellers as in its not super hot or difficult to sell.
When you are walking through a property and likely spend some time in all the rooms and the area surrounding the home you have a chance to see what is on all the surfaces, you have a chance to turn on lights and faucets, open and close doors, flush toilets as well as note if there is stains on the carpet, scratches in the wood floors or mis-matched paint from poor repair work on walls or ceilings. You can see if the appliances are new or older and the same with heating and AC or water heaters. You will have information on all these things before you make an offer. So I am of the opinion that you should base your offer on that information. If you know the appliances don't match and are aging, then consider that in your offer, same for the heating and cooling systems. If the water heater works fine but if it is 10-15+ years olds I think your best bet is getting a home warranty for the an additional year or two after.
So what do you ask for in a repair request? The things that the average person could not have known about a property even after walking through and looking around a bit.
This often boils down to electrical, plumbing and things you may not see or want to see on a home tour like the roof, crawlspace or attic. Sometimes it takes running the water for several minutes before you recognize the plumbing may be slow to drain at one of the sinks. Another item is the components like main electrical panel or heating equipment. Perhaps you knew the home was 35 years old and where planning for new AC but you did not realize that the heating equipment was something that has long since been recalled, or that the panel is made with materials that are no longer recommended.
The attic is another area that is not really considered when the average person walks through a home. This area can show many signs that lead to expensive issues. Things like rodent troubles, unprofessional electrical work, signs of a leaking roof, issues with ducting or insulation to name a few. When these sorts of items show up I think it is fair to ask the seller to deal with them, unless they disclosed these issues ahead of time.
At the end of the day every home is different, every transaction is different, the main thing to remember is that everyone involved wants to make the deal happen and generally these things can all be solved and many times without it breaking the bank.
If you have questions or need some need a quote on your home inspection and repair request just visit www.theqwikfix.com and within 24 hours we will have a detailed quote ready for you!
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