Negotiating Repairs After a Home Inspection

Huntington Beach Home Inspections and Negotiating Repairs

After a home inspection, buyers often request that sellers make certain repairs before the purchase goes through. If you’re buying a house, this is an opportunity to make your new home safer, more comfortable, and more functional. While negotiating repair stipulations may feel tense at times, it’s a normal part of residential real estate transactions. The following tips from HomeGuard Incorporated will help you navigate the process.

Focus on Major Issues

Any home is bound to have minor cosmetic issues, such as scuffed paint or dingy grout. Those are not the types of problems home inspections are meant to uncover or that negotiations are meant to ameliorate. Instead, during negotiations, you’ll want to focus on major issues. Any that threaten the home’s structural integrity and its occupants’ safety are worth having fixed before you buy. Examples we may find during Huntington Beach roof inspections include leaks and weaknesses in spots, and we may uncover other major issues in other parts of the home.

Consider NHD Reports

If you’re buying a home in California, a Natural Hazard Disclosure (NHD) report is a helpful complement to a standard home inspection report. NHD reports give sellers information on what types of dangers the area’s weather and geographical condition pose. For instance, Huntington Beach NHD reports let buyers know whether the area is prone to earthquakes, wildfires, and other damaging natural events. During negotiations, the fact that a home faces natural threats may help you lower the final cost, potentially allowing you to divert the savings toward repairs and improvements.

Consider the Market

The current state of the real estate market can have a significant impact on your bargaining power during negotiations. Favorable market conditions for buyers can enable you to make more aggressive requests from the seller. However, if the property is in high demand, your bargaining strength may be weakened, as the seller can easily turn to someone else if they deem your requests to be unreasonable.

Consider the Asking Price

When you’re in the market for a new home, it’s important to be aware of properties that require repairs but have a lower asking price. To ensure you’re making a wise investment, research similar homes in the same area that are in better or worse condition. If you find that a property needing repairs is priced lower than a comparable, pristine home, your bargaining power may be weakened. On the other hand, if the seller is asking for the same amount for a fixer-upper as they would for a home in good condition, you may be in a stronger position to negotiate.

Hire a Good Home Inspector for Huntington Beach Home Inspections

From a buyer’s perspective, negotiations rely on home inspection and NHD reports, so hiring a company with experienced inspectors is important. If you’re in California, HomeGuard Incorporated can be that company for you. Because of our extensive service area, which covers Northern and Southern California, you can rely on us for everything from Huntington Beach home inspections to Bay Area NHD reports.