5 Mistakes Sellers Should Avoid When Responding to Repair Requests

Receiving a repair request after the buyer’s inspection can feel like the transaction suddenly changed.

Sometimes sellers see several requested items and immediately start calculating costs. Others become frustrated and want to reject everything.

Neither reaction is necessarily the best starting point.

The better approach is to understand exactly what the buyer is requesting, review the existing contract, and evaluate the request in the context of the overall transaction.

Here are five mistakes sellers should try to avoid.

1. Treating the Inspection Report Like a Repair List

An inspection report and a repair request are not the same thing.

An inspector may identify numerous observations about a property, but the buyer may only care about a few of them.

Before reacting, wait until you know what the buyer is actually asking the seller to address.

2. Saying Yes or No Too Quickly

A repair request deserves context.

Consider the cost, the nature of the issue, the sales price, concessions already negotiated, current market conditions, the strength of the transaction, and your overall goals.

A $500 repair might be worth resolving to preserve an otherwise excellent transaction.

On the other hand, automatically agreeing to every requested item can create unnecessary expense.

3. Negotiating Against Yourself

A long inspection report can make sellers nervous.

But a 50-page report doesn’t necessarily mean a buyer is about to request 50 repairs.

Don’t start offering solutions before the buyer has actually proposed something.

4. Agreeing to Vague Repair Language

If the parties reach an agreement, the work should be described clearly enough that everyone understands what the seller is agreeing to accomplish.

Vague language can create additional disagreement later.

Under Paragraph 7F of the TREC One to Four Family Residential Contract (Resale), agreed work must be completed as required by the contract, including applicable requirements involving permits, repair persons, documentation, and transferable warranties.

5. Forgetting That Repair Documentation Matters

If the seller agrees to repairs or treatments, documentation isn’t simply something the buyer might appreciate.

Paragraph 7F requires the seller, unless otherwise agreed in writing, to provide documentation from the repair person showing the scope of work and payment for completed work. The seller must also arrange, at the seller’s expense, for transfer of applicable transferable warranties at closing.

Keeping invoices, receipts, permits when required, warranties, and contractor information organized can help avoid problems as closing approaches.

Final Thoughts

Repair negotiations are rarely about simply saying yes or no.

The better question is whether the proposed solution makes sense when you consider the contract, the property, the market, and your overall objectives.

If you’re selling a home in Katy, TX or the Greater Houston area, understanding this process before you receive an inspection report can make the transaction much easier to navigate.

Jonathan McNabb, REALTOR®
Broker/Owner | Nest Ahead
281.549.8099
NestAhead.com