Just got my inspection report and the list is long. Old electrical panel needs replacing ($3k), roof has maybe 5 years left ($8k replacement), water heater is at end of life ($1500), plus a bunch of smaller stuff. Total could be around 15k. The house is already at the top of my budget. What's reasonable to ask for? Do I ask them to fix everything or ask for money off? First time doing this and feeling overwhelmed.
9 Comments
In my experience, asking for a credit at closing is usually better than asking sellers to do repairs. When sellers fix things they tend to do the bare minimum or hire cheap contractors. A credit gives you control over the work and you can get it done right.
how much is reasonable to ask for though? all 15k? half? dont want to insult them and lose the house
focus on the safety and systems issues - the electrical and water heater are must-fixes. the roof with 5 years left is maintenance, not urgent. id ask for 5-7k credit for the immediate stuff and plan to budget for the roof yourself in a few years.
Speaking as someone who just sold a house - sellers expect some negotiation after inspection. We got asked for 12k and settled at 8k. The key is having the inspection report to back up your numbers. Just dont go in asking for everything to be brand new, thats unreasonable for any used home.
thats good to know they expect it. did they counter your counter or just accept the 8k?
The electrical panel is the big one - you might have trouble getting homeowners insurance with an old panel anyway. Definitely make that non-negotiable. The roof and water heater you can live with for a while.
Pro tip - get actual quotes for the big ticket items before negotiating. '8k for a roof' means nothing. But '8,234 quote from XYZ Roofing' is hard evidence. Makes your negotiation way stronger.
Market conditions matter too. In a sellers market you might get nothing. In a balanced or buyers market you have more leverage. Also consider how long the house has been listed. If its been sitting for 60 days the sellers are more motivated than if it went pending in 3 days.
just went through this exact situation last month. had 18k in issues but only asked for 6k focused on safety stuff (panel and some plumbing issues). got 5k credit no pushback. seller was relieved i wasnt asking for cosmetic stuff or the old but functional hvac. pick your battles and leave money on the table for the stuff that can wait