It might be funny if it wasn't so risky: Buyers and sellers playing games with home inspection items.
Have you evern heard a buyer, when drafting a list of items to request of the seller on a home inspection addendum, say something like, "Let's give them a few things to say No to!"
Have you ever heard a seller say, when anticipating a home inspection say something like, "I'm leaving a few things unrepaired so the buyer will have something to ask for!"
WHAT! What kind of thinking makes either of these strategies seem like a good idea?
A long list of items presented to the seller for repair disgusts and appalls the seller. "These buyers are too demanding!" "I shouldn't have to fix all these things!" Plus, how is the seller and the listing agent to know which items are important to the purchaser and which are not. That particular buyer strategy keeps everyone guessing, lengthens the time to an agreement, and gets on the agents' nerves.
A long list of unrepaired items left intentionally by the seller makes the buyer think there is much more wrong with the house than there really is. It makes them rethink their deicison to purchaser.
I've said this before and I'll say it again! Don't play games with the home inspection. Buyers: If you see something wrong when you go through the house, ask for the repair in the contract. For the home inspection, concentrate on those items you couldn't have know about, or understood the significance of, for the home inspection repair request.
Let's all try to communicate honestly and out of real need rather than out of a sense of sport. Everything will go much smoother. I promise.
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