What Happens After the Buyer's Home Inspection?

After the inspection, the buyer reads the report and decides what, if anything, to ask you for. You then have a few days to respond. Your choices come down to four: make the repair, offer a credit, adjust the price, or say no.

I am Delia Bayna, a REALTOR with eXp Realty in Salt Lake City. This is the part of a sale where sellers feel the most pressure, so here is how I think it through with my clients.

An inspection report is long. Even a well-kept house produces pages of notes, because the inspector writes down everything, including small items and things that are simply worth watching.

The buyer and their agent sort through it and decide what matters to them. Sometimes that is nothing. Often it is a short list. Now and then it is a big item, like a roof near the end of its life or a furnace that needs work.

A long report does not mean a bad house. When I see a report for the first time, I look for the handful of items that actually change the deal.

Make the repair. You hire the work done before closing. This makes sense for small things and anything a lender will insist on. Use licensed pros for electrical, gas, plumbing, and roofing, and keep the receipts.

Offer a credit. Instead of doing the work, you give the buyer money toward it at closing. For bigger jobs this is often cleaner. The buyer picks their own contractor, and you are not managing a project while you move.

Adjust the price. Similar to a credit, but the sale price comes down. Which one fits depends on the buyer's loan and the numbers, and it is worth talking through before you choose.

Say no. You are allowed to. The buyer may accept that, or they may decide to walk away. Saying no works best when the request is not reasonable and the house was priced for its condition.

Whichever you choose, it is a conversation between two sides, and a written response goes back through the agents.

This is where a seller who walked the house before listing has it easier.

If you already fixed the small things, the list is shorter. If you already have a written bid for the roof, you know what a credit should look like, and you are not guessing on a deadline. If you disclosed a known issue up front, the buyer priced it into their offer, and it is much harder to ask for it again.

A buyer who learns about a problem from you adjusts their offer. A buyer who learns about it from the inspector starts wondering what else they have not been told. That second buyer asks for more.

That is why I give my sellers a pre-inspection checklist before we list. See how to get ready for a home inspection when you sell for how it works.

When the request comes in, I offer to go through it with you line by line. Some sellers want every item. Others want my recommendation and the two or three things that matter. Either way, I tell you what I would do, and then it is your call.

I spent eighteen years teaching before I sold real estate. I would rather you understand why than be told what to do, especially when you have a few days to decide.

If you are still getting ready to list, you can see how I approach selling a home in Salt Lake City, or get a sense of what your home is worth before anything else.

Does a seller have to make repairs after a home inspection?

No. The buyer can ask, and you can agree, offer a credit, adjust the price, or decline. If you decline, the buyer may accept that or may decide not to go forward.

Is it better to fix it or give a credit?

Small repairs are often easiest to fix. For larger jobs like a roof or furnace, a credit lets the buyer choose their own contractor and keeps you from managing a project during your move. It depends on the item and the buyer's loan.

How long do I have to respond to a repair request?

Usually only a few days. The exact timeline is set in your purchase contract, which is why it helps to know the condition of your home before you list.

This article describes my general approach and is not legal, tax, or lending advice. Deadlines and terms are set by your purchase contract. For legal questions, talk to a Utah real estate attorney.