Repair Request Triage: What to Fix, Credit, or Refuse
After the inspection the buyer sends a list. This sorts it into what is worth fixing, what is better handled as a credit, and what you can reasonably refuse.
Example
A buyer asks for 12 items totalling $9,400. Typically 3 are health-and-safety or lender-required and worth fixing, 4 are worth settling with a single credit, and 5 are cosmetic wear the buyer could see on the first visit and can reasonably be refused.
This explains how it works. It isn't legal or tax advice. For your situation, talk to an attorney or CPA.
Step 1 of 3
Paste or type each item the buyer asked for.
Have the report as a PDF?
We read it on your phone and pull out the lines. The file never leaves your device.
Questions people ask
- Do I have to make the repairs a buyer asks for?
- No. On the standard California form the buyer asks and you answer. Nothing obliges you to agree, though refusing can put the deal at risk.
- Is a credit better than doing the work?
- Often yes. A credit is one number, it closes on time, and you avoid arguing about the quality of a rushed repair.
- What if I say no to everything?
- The buyer can cancel if they still hold their inspection contingency. Whether that matters depends on how much interest the home has.
Buying next? $30,000 − $4,999 = your money.
Lower your monthly payment. Cover your closing costs. Keep more cash in the bank. With SelfCloze, the fee the seller pays your agent mostly comes back to you. You pay $0 up front, and if you don't buy, you pay nothing.
Get my rebate estimateBased on a $1M San Diego home where the seller offers 3% to the buyer's agent. Applied to closing costs first. How much can go to you beyond that depends on your loan. Estimate only, not a guarantee.