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#1
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I am buying a house (closing Oct 31) and wanted advice on reopening negotiations now that the home-inspection phase has been completed. I'm not willing to walk away from this deal if seller refuses to negotiate further. My realtor is waiting to hear if I have anything I want to "ask" for based on the results of the home inspection.
Only items of note from the home inspection... 1) Exterior Wood trim around some windows and kitchen skylight needs to be replaced due to minor rot in the joints. will need to hire someone to do this and have no idea how much it might cost. 2) Washing machine needs repair just spins, but doesn't jiggle the clothes down...I would have never caught this if the home inspector wasn't such a meticulous nit...but that's a good thing ;-) The washer/dryer are v. old and I just saw new cheapo set at Brandsmart for < $400. 3) Steam fan in master bathroom vents right into the attic needs to be extended through the roof...otherwise potential for mildew. I can take care of this with $40 and a trip to home depot. 4) No smoke detector on second floor smoke detectors can't be more than $30. 5) Couple of reversed electrical outlets... no worries... I look at these as all things that will need to be fixed at some point so why not get the seller to put up a little cheddar. Any ideas on how to proceed? My goal is to get #1 taken care of... I have an idea of how I would approach this but would like some outside opinions...thanks. |
#2
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I'm not willing to walk away from this deal if seller refuses to negotiate further. [/ QUOTE ] Thats not too good. You're negotiating from a position of weakness. On the other hand, the seller might be feeling a little sqeeze w/ the markets being down. Depends a lot on your local market. Either way, you'd want the seller to be pretty convinced that you'll walk unless he makes concessions. [ QUOTE ] Only items of note from the home inspection... 1) Exterior Wood trim around some windows and kitchen skylight needs to be replaced due to minor rot in the joints. will need to hire someone to do this and have no idea how much it might cost. [/ QUOTE ] You'll have to either get a quote or ask the seller to fix the problem. You could handle it in a variety of ways: a. determine the value of the repair and reduce purchase price accordingly b. determine value of repair and allocate some of the purchase price to escrow for the repair c. make the seller pay for the repair before closing For choice A you'll have to come up w/ the cash for the repair out of your pocket. Note also that rot around window joints could be an indication of a poorly kept home, as keeping up the caulking is a pretty standard yearly maintenance item. Something to consider. [ QUOTE ] 2) Washing machine needs repair just spins, but doesn't jiggle the clothes down...I would have never caught this if the home inspector wasn't such a meticulous nit...but that's a good thing ;-) The washer/dryer are v. old and I just saw new cheapo set at Brandsmart for < $400. [/ QUOTE ] I'd ignore it. [ QUOTE ] 3) Steam fan in master bathroom vents right into the attic needs to be extended through the roof...otherwise potential for mildew. I can take care of this with $40 and a trip to home depot. [/ QUOTE ] You'll need to cut a hole for the pipe in the roof, no? I'd be careful - cutting holes in the roof might have negative consequences for your insurance policy unless handled by a professional. The steam is a real problem. Water is wood's worst enemy. This is a necessary repair. Get it fixed by a professional. [ QUOTE ] 4) No smoke detector on second floor smoke detectors can't be more than $30. [/ QUOTE ] Smoke detectors cost $4 each at Home Depot. I buy them in bulk. Nickel and dime, forget it. [ QUOTE ] 5) Couple of reversed electrical outlets... no worries... [/ QUOTE ] meh. |
#3
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[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ] I'm not willing to walk away from this deal if seller refuses to negotiate further. [/ QUOTE ] Thats not too good. You're negotiating from a position of weakness. On the other hand, the seller might be feeling a little sqeeze w/ the markets being down. Depends a lot on your local market. Either way, you'd want the seller to be pretty convinced that you'll walk unless he makes concessions. [/ QUOTE ] Agreed. market maybe flattening but not in this atlanta neighborhood (VA Highland). [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Only items of note from the home inspection... 1) Exterior Wood trim around some windows and kitchen skylight needs to be replaced due to minor rot in the joints. will need to hire someone to do this and have no idea how much it might cost. [/ QUOTE ] ...Note also that rot around window joints could be an indication of a poorly kept home, as keeping up the caulking is a pretty standard yearly maintenance item. Something to consider. [/ QUOTE ] Good Point. [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] 3) Steam fan in master bathroom vents right into the attic needs to be extended through the roof...otherwise potential for mildew. I can take care of this with $40 and a trip to home depot. [/ QUOTE ] You'll need to cut a hole for the pipe in the roof, no? I'd be careful - cutting holes in the roof might have negative consequences for your insurance policy unless handled by a professional. The steam is a real problem. Water is wood's worst enemy. This is a necessary repair. Get it fixed by a professional. [/ QUOTE ] The hole is already there, but it just looks like someone half-assed it or ran out of the flex tubing. Good point about the insurance and emphasis on the potential problems. Also, termite inspector is scheduled for this afternoon -- will follow up with results if anything of note. |
#4
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All these things are extremely minor, and it looks like your being extremely picky. you are talking a couple hundred dollars at the most to fix with the exception of #1
If you are not willing to walk away from the deal then ask them to fix #1 and worry about the rest yourself. #1 is probably not going to be that much to fix anyway. A home inspection that reported those tiny things is a pretty good home inspection report. If I were the seller I'd proably agree to fix #1 and tell you to fix the rest yourself. |
#5
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Lol
Every single house in every single neighborhood besides new construction homes have something wrong with it that are much more costly than your list of things. It you are going to nickle and dime for a few hundred bucks, then nickle and dime them if you want, but these things are so minuscule. |
#6
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Lol Every single house in every single neighborhood besides new construction homes have something wrong with it that are much more costly than your list of things. It you are going to nickle and dime for a few hundred bucks, then nickle and dime them if you want, but these things are so minuscule. [/ QUOTE ] Are you implying that post-home-inspection negotiations are for big stuff only -- such as unknown cracks in foundations, asbestos insulation on pipes in basement, termites, etc? I should have mentioned the house was built in 1984. |
#7
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Chair,
Its fine to nit it up. But most of these, as others have said, shouldn't even really register. I'd prefer saving the time and expense and ask them to do it and maybe even badger them a bit since it'd be quicker than dealing with the hassle of getting it done myself. But... If they don't... whatev. |
#8
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[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ] Lol Every single house in every single neighborhood besides new construction homes have something wrong with it that are much more costly than your list of things. It you are going to nickle and dime for a few hundred bucks, then nickle and dime them if you want, but these things are so minuscule. [/ QUOTE ] Are you implying that post-home-inspection negotiations are for big stuff only -- such as unknown cracks in foundations, asbestos insulation on pipes in basement, termites, etc? I should have mentioned the house was built in 1984. [/ QUOTE ] Your offer should be contigent on a home inspection. I'm assuming it was but since you are closing so soon, can you even back out of it if you want to? |
#9
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[ QUOTE ]
Lol Every single house in every single neighborhood including new construction homes have something wrong with it that are much more costly than your list of things. [/ QUOTE ] FYP [ QUOTE ] It you are going to nickle and dime for a few hundred bucks, then nickle and dime them if you want, but these things are so minuscule. [/ QUOTE ] Exactly. Unless this is an extreme buyer's market, I can tell you as a seller that had to put up with this crap, that it will likely just piss the seller off. Ask for the window thing to be fixed before closing and forget the rest. |
#10
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Thanks everyone for the v. helpful input/perspectives.
Looks like we are going to ask for the window trim to be addressed and leave it at that. if the fan output from the master bathroom appears to be too much of a job for me to tackle, well get it taken care of professionally. |
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