"Tell the Buyers We Aren't Making ANY Repairs If We Take This Offer"
When sellers feels worked over after purchase offer negotiatioins are over, hearing them say, "Tell the buyers we aren't making any repairs if we take this offer," is not uncommon. It sounds reasonable to them. The sellers are not getting what they expected from the sale of the home and want to put their foot down right then and there before they put the final intials on the offer. Here's why I advise them to NOT go down that road.
There are tons of emotions in a real estate transaction. Fear and suspicion are two you don't want a buyer to feel. Imagine what must go through their mind if they get back that message, verbally or written into the final paperwork as a counter. The buyers don't feel they made an unfair offer from their point of view. Their minds might immediately go to the most expensive repairs they can imagine. "Oh no. I bet the sellers know they need a new roof and didn't tell us. We can't afford to fix a roof."
If you are lucky enough to keep those fearful and suspcious buyers to the point of the home inspection, they are just waiting for something horrible to pop out of the inspection. And if the inspector makes a cover-your-butt statement encouraging the buyers to get a trade professional to look into this or that because the inspector just can't stretch their neck out there, the buyers will feel their fear and suspicion are validated. Never mind that a ton of agents have been on those follow up visits with trade professionals to hear the issue at hand soothed with the words, "I'm not sure why the inspector thought this was a big deal." You might get a notice to void the contract right after the inspection.
Anyone's view of the circumstances in front of them is clouded by their emotions. The reasons sellers want to stomp their foot down is that they feel screwed. Actually following through on that foot stomping/no repair statement, can cause different unfavorable emotions on the other side of the deal.
The better line to take, in my professional point of view, is to say nothing. Let the buyers have their inspection and feel confident about it. Don't be there during the inspection to confront the inspector at various points. That's just as bad. Give the buyers time and space in your home to talk with their inspector in private.
In the regional sales contract used in Bristow and Gainesville, there will be a "negotiation period" between the buyers and sellers, once the buyers deliver their repair requests to the sellers. Maybe the repairs are minor and the hardcore line the sellers wanted to take is softened when they see that the buyers just want two missing window screens replaced, or the doorbell fixed. Maybe an outlandish request to re-insulate the attic because the inspector saw a mousetrap can be handled with an explanation as to why the mouse trap is there, empty after eight years.
Let's not forget the obvious. At the point that the buyers are requesting repairs, they are out of pocket the cost of the inspection, possibly an additional cost of a radon inspection, and likely the cost of the appraisal. That's about $1,000 worth of services paid out of pocket. Do you think a buyer is going to walk away from a home in known good condition if a seller decides to put their foot down for minor requests and say no? I seriously doubt it. And that's their only course of action if a seller stonewalls them. That would entail another outlay of cash and a roll of the dice that they will find a home in the same condition. However, if sellers telegraph their intention to do nothing, buyers can get spooked and want out of the deal ASAP.
My advice is always going to be to not pump anymore emotion into the deal than already naturally exists. And stating no repairs will be done after accepting a lower than anticipated offer is a bad foot to start the walk toward settlement.
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