When it comes time to make an offer on a house, there are many variables to negotiate. Closing costs, inspection days, appliances – the list goes on for what you and your agent agree on with the home sellers.
However, when it comes down to the house’s condition, there are many things that you will know ahead of time.
You knew this ahead of time.
Your real estate agent has to repeat this phrase a lot.
If the roof was disclosed as 20 years old when you made an offer on the house – asking for a new roof, if it’s not leaking, is a waste of time. You KNEW the age, and your agent should have informed you that it will likely need to be replaced sooner rather than later.
If the HVAC system was installed in the early aughts and it’s still working, you’re not going to find many (if any) home sellers willing to offer a credit or replacement.
A 20-year-old water heater still cranking out the hot water is unlikely to be replaced for you either.
If you knew the age of the components ahead of time, don’t anticipate asking for replacement of these items just because you WANT them.
What if the roof is leaking/AC is broken, etc.?
Finding out that significant components of a house are defective, like a leaking roof, is a whole different ball game! Learning this is when you would ask the seller to have something repaired, replaced, or offer a monetary concession.
When we have your home inspections, this is the time to find out all the unknown items! (Like a faulty AC system)
[SUGGESTED READING: New Orleans Home Inspections]
What if I didn’t know?
There any many reasons for us not to have all the info about a house BEFORE you make an offer. If it’s a succession property, foreclosure, or the seller isn’t great with record keeping, you may not know the age of the house components and defects with the property. This isn’t uncommon, and we have to use the inspection period as an opportunity to learn it all. You may also want to consider additional inspections, like separate roofing or HVAC inspections.
If you don’t know any house information on the front end, then let’s negotiate away.
Look around
You are making an offer on what you can SEE as well! If you notice rotting wood or the AC condenser outside looks like it’s from 1972, then factor that into your offer. This falls under the category of “you knew this ahead of time” when it comes to inspection negotiations.
Can you see shingles falling off the roof? Make an offer with the roof replacement in mind!
While walking through a home, quit focusing on the cute decorations and look at the structure. A great agent can help point out these items too!
Parting Words
If you see an issue before you make an offer, plan on the home seller not agreeing to fix that later on down the line. Anything you knew of ahead of time will likely never be addressed after the inspection period!
Ready to start home buying? Schedule a meeting with us!