Inspection Negotiation

What’s a fair concession ask after inspection?

List what the home inspection found and roughly what each fix costs. We’ll suggest how much to ask the seller for, as a credit or price cut, based on how serious the problems are and how much bargaining power you have.

The inspection opens a window
Most contracts include an : a few days to inspect the home and then ask the seller for repairs, a credit, or a lower price, or cancel.
Not every finding is worth asking for
Sellers usually expect to deal with safety hazards and big-ticket problems like a failing roof. We count each finding by how serious it is, so a $600 safety fix weighs more than a $600 paint job.
The market sets the size of the ask
In a slow market sellers need the deal, so you can ask for more. In a competitive market, or with an “as-is” contract, sellers can say no, so the suggested ask shrinks.

For repair costs, a rough figure from your inspector works to start. A contractor quote is better, and you can attach it to your request. The home inspection process explains what inspectors check and what happens next.

Purchase price

Market condition

In a hot market sellers can refuse asks; in a cold one they need the deal.

Your contract terms

Pure as-is = the seller isn’t obligated to repair or credit anything (you can still ask).

Inspection findings

One row per problem from your inspection report: what it is, what it would cost to fix, and how serious it is. Findings are kept only while this page is open.

Suggested amount to ask the seller for

$7,575(1.38% of price)

Open with $8,950 to leave room to negotiate down. Lowest you’d reasonably settle for: $5,303. Total findings come to $8,950 but cosmetic and minor items typically don’t move the negotiation. In a balanced market, you can expect a good-faith split.

Total repair estimates

$8,950

3 items

Safety issues

$600

almost always negotiable

Major repairs

$8,000

typically negotiable

Minor / cosmetic

$350

usually buyer absorbs

What this means

Your inspection turned up $8,950 in repairs. About $7,575 of that is the kind sellers typically help with, once each item is weighted by how serious it is. With standard inspection terms in a balanced market, a fair ask is about $7,575, or 1.38% of the price. Ask as a or price reduction rather than seller-made repairs.

Check this against what your agent has seen sellers in your area agree to.

How we got this number

Total repair estimates$8,950

Weighted by how serious each is$7,575

× 1.0 for a balanced market$7,575

× 1.0 for standard inspection terms$7,575

Suggested ask (capped at total repairs)$7,575

Tactics for getting concessions

Ask for a credit at closing or a price reduction, not seller repairs. A credit lowers the cash you need at closing, though it can only cover and prepaids (not your down payment) and lenders cap it. A price reduction instead trims your loan, down payment, and monthly payment a little. For the seller the two cost about the same: either one reduces their net proceeds. A seller who makes the repairs will hire the cheapest contractor.

Lead with safety items. Sellers tune out long laundry-list asks, so focus your written request on 2-4 substantive items with bid quotes attached.

Get bid quotes for items over $1k. "The inspector said the roof needs attention" is weaker than "Joe’s Roofing quoted $8,200 to replace; here’s the bid."

Lenders cap seller credits by loan type and down payment. On a conventional loan the cap is 3% of the price with less than 10% down, 6% with 10% up to 25% down, and 9% with 25% or more down (2% on an investment property). FHA and USDA allow 6%, and VA allows 4% in seller concessions (your normal closing costs don’t count toward VA’s limit). A credit also can’t exceed your actual closing costs. Anything above the cap has to come as a price reduction.

If you’re still within the window, you can typically walk for any reason and get your back. A credible threat to walk is what gives your ask weight.

Severity weights used: Safety 100% • Major 85% • Minor 50% • Cosmetic 0%. Market multipliers: Cold 1.3× • Balanced 1.0× • Hot 0.5×. Contingency multipliers: Standard 1.0× • As-is informational 0.6× • Pure as-is 0×. The recommended ask and the 1.5× opening ask are both capped at the total cost of the findings.

Results are estimates based on your inputs and the assumptions on this page, not quotes or advice. A lender, servicer, or tax advisor will give you different numbers. Disclaimer

Something look off? Report it

Terms used on this page

Words you’ll hear from your agent and the seller’s side once the inspection report is in.

Home inspection: A professional review of the home’s condition, from roof to foundation, that you arrange after your offer is accepted. The report lists problems the inspector found.
Inspection contingency: A clause giving you a set number of days to inspect the home, then ask for repairs, a credit, or a lower price, or cancel and keep your earnest money.
Concession: Anything the seller gives up to keep the deal together after the inspection: a credit at closing, a lower price, or repairs.
Seller credit: Money the seller gives you at closing instead of making repairs. It lowers your cash to close but can cover only closing costs and prepaids, and lenders cap it.
As-is sale: A contract where the seller says they won’t make repairs. You can usually still inspect, and sometimes cancel, but asks are less likely to succeed.
Buyer’s and seller’s markets: In a buyer’s (cold) market homes sit and sellers compete for buyers. In a seller’s (hot) market homes sell fast, often with multiple offers, so sellers can refuse asks.
Earnest money: The good-faith deposit you paid when your offer was accepted. Canceling within a contingency window usually gets it back. More
Closing costs: The fees and prepaid expenses due when your loan is finalized, on top of the down payment. A seller credit can pay some of them. More

Keep learning

Next steps

Closing cost estimator: see how a seller credit changes your cash to close
Appraisal gap planner: if the appraisal also comes in low
Mortgage calculator: what a lower price does to your monthly payment