Most buyers include a home inspection contingency, which can surface problems worth addressing — from a malfunctioning appliance to a cracked foundation. The art is knowing what's fair to raise with the seller, and what's better left alone. I'll help you read the findings and decide.
After your home inspection, I'll walk you through the findings and help you decide your next steps with the seller. So what belongs in your repair requests?
As a rule, problems with non-functioning systems and genuine safety issues are legitimate, negotiable repairs. Already-disclosed issues and long, nickel-and-dime lists, on the other hand, mostly generate ill will and can derail a transaction.
These are the things worth putting in front of the seller — the items that protect the home's major components and your safety.
If your goal is the closing table, these five are usually best to let go.
Chipped paint on the baseboards, a cracked mirror, scratches in the hardwood. Unless you're buying new construction, almost every home has cosmetic flaws — and sellers rarely negotiate on things that were plainly visible when you made your offer.
A torn window screen, a cracked switch plate, a burnt-out bulb in a ceiling fixture. It's tempting to bundle in every small fix, but you're better off focusing on big-picture items and confirming the major components are in good shape.
Even though many municipalities have rules about these, it's often preferable to pass. Rather than settling for cheap replacements, you can shop for a system that fits your long-term preferences once you own the home.
It's unreasonable to expect sellers to trim foundation plantings, remove a dead tree, or repair a loose fence board. These were visible when you toured, and asking tends to irritate sellers — especially when extreme heat or cold makes the work tough.
In many places, inspectors must list anything that doesn't meet current code — but that doesn't necessarily mean the home has to be brought up to code. Unless it's a genuine health or safety issue, these items are typically grandfathered into the purchase.
With government-backed financing, the appraisal does double duty: it checks the home's condition against minimum standards, not just its value. If the appraiser flags certain health, safety, or structural problems, they generally must be repaired before the loan can close — so a few items you'd otherwise let go can become required.
Loan requirements vary by lender and program and change over time, so confirm specifics with your lender — this isn't lending advice. Weighing your options? Compare mortgage providers.
How this plays out here: under the NMAR purchase agreement, you typically raise inspection findings as written objections during your due-diligence period. If you and the seller can't negotiate those objections, you generally have the right to terminate. That's exactly why prioritizing matters — a focused, well-reasoned list keeps goodwill intact and keeps you moving toward closing. It's one step on the road from contract to closing.
Knowing which findings are worth raising — and which to let go — is one of the most valuable things I bring to the table. As an Accredited Buyer's Representative (ABR®), I'll help you turn the inspection report into a smart, closing-friendly plan, and negotiate it from there.
Generally, problems with non-functioning systems and genuine health or safety issues are legitimate, negotiable repairs — think a furnace that won't run, faulty wiring, or a real safety hazard. Focus your requests on the big-picture items that make sure the home's major components are sound, rather than a long list of small cosmetic fixes.
If your goal is to reach the closing table, it's usually best to pass on normal wear and tear (chipped paint, a cracked mirror, scratched floors), inexpensive cosmetic fixes (a torn screen, a burnt-out bulb), smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, landscaping modifications, and code items that are merely noted but grandfathered in. Already-disclosed issues and long nickel-and-dime lists tend to breed ill will and can derail a deal.
Not necessarily. In many places, inspectors must list anything that doesn't meet current code, but that doesn't mean the home has to be brought up to code. Unless an item is a genuine health or safety issue, these are typically grandfathered into the purchase, so they usually aren't worth a repair request.
If you discover substantial structural defects or serious hazards, you may decide to renegotiate significantly or back out of the contract. In New Mexico, you typically raise inspection findings as written objections during your due-diligence period under the NMAR purchase agreement; if you and the seller can't resolve them, you generally have the right to terminate. This isn't legal advice, so review your contract and ask me or an attorney about your specific options.
Often, yes. With FHA or VA financing, the appraisal also checks the home against minimum condition standards — HUD's Minimum Property Requirements for FHA, and the VA's Minimum Property Requirements for VA. If the appraiser flags certain health, safety, or structural problems (peeling paint in an older home, a missing handrail, an unsafe system), those generally must be repaired before the loan can close. So an item you might otherwise pass on can become a must-fix, and a home in rough condition may not qualify as-is. Requirements vary by lender and program, so talk with your lender early.
Let's go through it together and build a repair request that protects you without putting the deal at risk. Reach out anytime — no pressure, no obligation.