What to Do When the Home Inspection Comes Back With Problems

1 day ago
3 min read

The List

The inspection report lands in your inbox, and it's 47 pages long. There are photos of the attic, a note about the electrical panel, something flagged near the foundation, and a running list of items labeled "recommend repair" or "monitor." Your stomach drops a little.

This happens on almost every deal. Almost every single one. And it catches buyers off guard every time, even when I tell them in advance to expect it.

I have a mantra I use often with my clients; if we work together, you are likely to hear it. "The home inspection will always find something, and it will never find everything."

This Is Normal

Home inspectors are paid to find things. That is their job. A good inspector will walk out of a house built five years ago and still have a list. Older homes, especially the New England colonials and capes that make up so much of the inventory around here, are going to have more. That doesn't mean the house is falling apart. It means someone looked hard.

The vast majority of items on a typical inspection report are cosmetic, maintenance-related, or things the current owner has lived with for years without incident. A cracked outlet cover. A missing handrail. Gutters that need cleaning. Real things, but not reasons to walk away from a house you love.

Information, Not Indictment

The first step to successfully navigating this is to attend your home inspection. I am a strong proponent of this. The inspector will be on-site to answer questions and show you around the systems of your new home. After, I advocate for buyers to read the full report once, then step back before reacting. The natural first instinct is to read the list as evidence of something wrong. It's more useful to read it as information about the house you're about to buy.

Some items are genuinely significant. A failing roof. A cracked heat exchanger in the furnace. Active water intrusion in the basement. These warrant a serious conversation, and possibly a repair request, a price adjustment, or, in some cases, walking away.

Most items aren't in that category. They're the house telling you what it is and what it will need over time. Every house tells you that story eventually. The inspection just tells you earlier.

Something important to understand: Home inspections are not pass or fail. They don't say "this house did not pass inspection" or "your roof failed inspection." Instead, the point of the inspection is to inform you about the current conditions of the home and its systems. It might say: The roof flashings are damaged, there is moss growth, but there appears to be no active leaks. This may signal a roof that has a few years left in its life. Now you ask yourself, was this unexpected, and is this a problem for me?

How to Think About the Repair Request

When there are damages to address, you typically have two moves: ask the seller to make repairs, or ask for a credit or price reduction that reflects the cost of the work. In my experience, the credit is often the better play. You control the work. You choose the contractor. You know it gets done right.

The goal of a repair request isn't to squeeze every last dollar out of the deal. It's to address what's genuinely material. A targeted, reasonable request is far more likely to get a yes than a laundry list of every item the inspector flagged.

Sellers have been through inspections before. They know what's fair. A 20-item request signals that you're either scared or angling for a way out. A three-item request with a clear rationale signals that you're serious, fair-minded, and ready to close.

As always, we make these decisions based not only on your goals but also on what the situation demands. Were you the only offer that the seller received? If so, you have more leverage to ask for repairs. Did they have 10 other offers they could fall back on? Then you have far less leverage.

When to Walk, When to Stay

There are situations where the inspection genuinely changes the picture. If the cost of deferred maintenance or needed repairs materially changes what the house is worth to you, that's a real conversation to have. You can renegotiate. You can ask for a larger credit. You can, if the numbers don't work, walk away.

Disclaimer: The information in this post is for educational purposes only and is not intended as legal or financial advice. Always consult a qualified professional for guidance specific to your situation.