Once you have selected a home to make an offer on, the next phase you find yourself in is the inspection and due diligence period. During this time, there is a flurry of activity, and you may be overwhelmed by all the information thrown at you! Please take a moment, read our info about home inspections, and let’s talk about repairs. Because many homebuyers want to ask for repairs or replacement of functioning items, sellers won’t typically agree to that.
What repairs can I ask for?
We like to tell our buyers that when we go into home inspections, we are looking for items that are health and safety concerns. We also want to ensure the house’s significant mechanics are in working order – like your HVAC, plumbing, water heater, and roof. Anything not disclosed to you ahead of time and anything you couldn’t see when you made the offer on the house is fair game.
[IMPORTANT READING: What’s Wrong with the House: A Tale of Property Disclosures]
What if the AC is old?
If the house’s AC is older but functioning correctly, asking for it to be replaced is likely going nowhere. This is a part of being a homeowner, and you will have to remedy it when the time comes. Make sure you stash some money away to replace this item in the future.
You can ask for the AC to be cleaned and serviced. Even asking for a home warranty isn’t out of the realm of possibilities! But asking for something to be replaced that is working will not likely get the result you want.
Don’t ask for repairs on working items.
We see this ALL the time with our potential homebuyers. After inspections, they panic because the water heater exceeds its life expectancy. Unless the house was advertised as having a brand new one, the seller is not obligated to replace it. Also, the sellers are not obligated to make ANY repairs or replacements.
If the HVAC, water heater, etc., are all in working order – you’re very unlikely to get a seller to agree to replace it!
If you don’t feel comfortable with the age of components in the potential home, we should probably find another house for you!
Want to go home shopping? Start by texting us!
New Orleans Home Inspections
Contact Team Be New Orleans