The buyer's inspection is done and a repair request just landed. Here is how to read it calmly, decide what matters, and keep your sale on track.
Key takeaways
- Sort the request into safety items, insurance items and cosmetic wishes before you answer anything.
- Your three basic options are to make repairs, offer a credit or price change, or decline, and you can mix them.
- Items that can block a buyer's insurance or financing usually deserve the most attention, because they can stop the closing.
- Use licensed contractors, keep receipts and permits, and talk with your agent or a real estate attorney about your contract terms.
When a buyer sends a repair request after their home inspection, the best first step is to sort it, not react to it. Separate the list into safety issues, items that could affect the buyer's insurance or loan, and cosmetic or maintenance wishes. Then decide, item by item, whether to repair, offer a credit, adjust the price or decline. Most sales in Palm Coast, Flagler Beach and the rest of Northeast Florida survive this step just fine when both sides focus on the items that truly matter. Here is how we suggest sellers approach it, from the point of view of the inspectors who write these reports every week.
Read the report, not just the request
The repair request is the buyer's wish list. The inspection report is the source. Ask your agent for a copy of the report pages that support each item so you can see the photos and the inspector's actual wording.
- Look at the language: "safety concern" or "recommend evaluation by a licensed electrician" carries more weight than "monitor" or "maintenance item."
- Check the location and photos so you know exactly which outlet, pipe or roof area is being discussed.
- Notice what the inspector did not say. A report notes visible conditions on the day of the inspection. It is not a list of everything that must be fixed.
If something in the report surprises you, it is reasonable to have a licensed contractor look at it and give you their own opinion and quote before you respond.
Sort every item into three buckets
This simple sort makes the conversation much easier for everyone.
- Safety items: exposed wiring, missing GFCI protection in wet areas, a water heater without a proper relief valve discharge line, active leaks, or trip hazards. These are hard for any buyer to ignore.
- Insurance and lending items: roof age and condition, certain electrical panels, older plumbing materials and AC or water heater problems. Many Florida insurers look closely at these on a 4-point inspection, and if the buyer cannot get coverage, the lender usually cannot fund the loan.
- Cosmetic and maintenance items: worn caulk, a loose cabinet door, minor stucco hairline cracks or a dirty AC filter. Buyers sometimes include these, and it is fine to treat them as lower priority.
Our guide to electrical panels Florida insurers flag and our article on signs a Florida roof is near the end of its life explain why those second bucket items can carry so much weight.
Your options: repair, credit, price or decline
You are not limited to yes or no. Most agreements end up as a mix.
- Make the repair: good for clear safety and insurance items, especially when the buyer's carrier or lender needs proof the work is done before closing.
- Offer a credit: lets the buyer pick their own contractor and keeps you from managing projects while you move. Ask your agent and the buyer's lender what kinds of credits the loan allows.
- Adjust the price: sometimes simpler than a credit, depending on the loan and the appraisal.
- Decline some items: reasonable for cosmetic requests or normal wear, as long as you understand the buyer may have the right to walk away under their inspection terms.
Your purchase contract controls the deadlines and what each side can do, so lean on your agent, and talk with a real estate attorney if anything is unclear. We are inspectors, not lawyers, and we always point clients to the right professional for contract questions.
If you make repairs, do them the right way
A rushed or handyman level fix on a flagged item often creates a second round of questions.
- Hire licensed contractors for electrical, plumbing, roofing, HVAC and pest work, and pull permits when the work requires them.
- Keep invoices, permits and photos, and share them with the buyer's agent.
- Expect the buyer to want a re-check. A short reinspection of the repaired items is common and helps everyone sign off with confidence.
- For wood destroying organism findings, the treatment and the WDO report come from a licensed pest control company, not a general inspector. Our article on termites and WDO inspections in Florida covers how that works.
Next time, get ahead of it with a pre-listing inspection
The easiest repair request to handle is the one you saw coming. A pre-sale home inspection before you list lets you fix, price in or disclose issues on your own schedule, instead of under a contract deadline. If you are still getting ready to sell, read our posts on whether pre-listing inspections are worth it and how to prepare your home for an inspection.
Selling in Palm Coast, Flagler Beach, Ormond Beach or Daytona Beach? Call us at (386) 562-2240 and we can walk through your report or schedule a reinspection of completed repairs.
Frequently asked questions
Do Florida sellers have to fix everything on a home inspection report?
No. An inspection report lists observed conditions, not required repairs. What you agree to fix depends on your purchase contract and your negotiation with the buyer. Your agent or a real estate attorney can explain your specific contract terms.
Is it better to offer a repair credit or make the repairs myself?
It depends. Credits are simpler for many sellers and let buyers choose their own contractor, but some insurers and lenders want certain items, like roof or electrical issues, fixed before closing. Check with your agent and the buyer's lender before you decide.
Can a home inspector check repairs before closing?
Yes. A reinspection of the specific repaired items is common. Having licensed contractor invoices and any permits ready makes the re-check quick and gives the buyer confidence.
