What Is Reasonable?

Dear Esther,

We recently accepted a contract on our home and were excited to begin packing and moving on.  However, since the contract was contingent on a home inspection, we’re working through that.  A lengthy home inspection report revealed many, what the home inspector called “defects”, which we considered alarming and insulting.  My wife and I are ready to tell the buyers to buy a new home as we feel like their expectations for our home (which is 20 years old) are unrealistic.  I’m wondering what your opinion is on all of this.

Home inspections are almost always an aspect of selling and can be unpleasant at times.  Not only do you, as a seller, feel invaded upon as strangers spend hours in your home digging behind and under everything, but often the report which results provides lists of items that, in the inspector’s opinion, should be corrected.  These recommended corrections can be as small as a dripping faucet to something large like mold.  The process of which items, you as the seller, will correct is part of selling your home.  You may lose your buyer if you decide you don’t want to fix what they requested of you.

I recommend, when reviewing the list, that you ask yourself, “What is reasonable to fix in order for my home to be safe and comfortable for the buyers?”  If you feel items on the list are either wrong or unreasonable, I suggest sharing your thoughts with the buyers so they understand you’re not just being stubborn or cheap.  They may come to realize, as you do, that those items are unnecessary and a waste of money.  A good real estate agent will help to make this process as painless and stress free as possible.

One caution – do your best to keep your personal feelings out of this process.  This is difficult as you’ve spent years in your home, making it your own and taking care of it well.  Then some “expert” invades it, providing a list which gives you the message that you’ve been careless at best.  Throw your emotions into a bin for the time, put a hard shell on and deal with the items as if you’re looking at a report of someone else’s home.  Most of the time, this mind set will get you through the back and forth negotiations with less pain and suffering.  And did I say a good real estate agent will help you through this?

About these ads