This is a question we hear frequently. In this video, talks about whether buyers should ask for repairs or financial concessions after a home inspection reveals issues. 

Let’s say you found a home to buy and make an offer that gets accepted by the seller.

It’s usually a good idea to get a professional home inspection to know what you’re buying. But what if the inspection reveals issues that you can’t live with? Can you ask the seller for repairs or concessions?

I’m John Aylesworth, our firm focuses on real estate transactions in the Chicago area. They’re just that important.

So, can you ask the seller for repairs after the inspection?

The answer depends on the language of your contract..

The answer maybe no if you agreed to buy a property as-is, or if your purchase contract does not include an inspection contingency.

Even if you are not buying the property as-is and your contract includes an inspection contingency, the answer still depends on your contract.

Standard contracts allow buyers to raise issues on major components of the property, like the refrigerator, stove or HVAC mechanicals that are either not working, not fully functional, or that present safety hazards.

This excludes such things as wear and tear, cosmetic matters, maintenance matters, upgrades, improvements, and old-but-functional appliances and mechanicals.

If the inspection reveals something that is technically excluded but is still important to you, you can ask for repair or a financial concession.

However, asking the sellers in this situation can be a calculated risk. Asking for something that is excluded from the contract could be considered an over-reach, which might cause the seller to cancel the contract.

So, before you ask for repairs or concessions outside of a contingency, consider your seller and the circumstances around the purchase. Then talk it through with an experienced closing attorney, someone who regularly negotiates real estate deals.

Feel free to schedule a call with John or Mike to discuss your home sale or purchase.