Negotiation
Inspection Negotiation Playbook
The single highest-ROI 5–10 days in your transaction. The buyers who save the most don't ask for everything - they ask for the right things, in the right format.
The 3-tier triage
Read the inspection report once, then sort every finding into one of three buckets:
- Safety / structural / system failures. Roof, foundation, electrical hazards, gas leaks, water intrusion, HVAC near end-of-life, polybutylene plumbing, aluminum branch wiring, failed water heater. Ask for repair, credit, or walk.
- Material defects with documented cost. Settled fence, broken pane, failed seal in window, GFCI not tripping. Bundle into one credit request.
- Cosmetic / maintenance / "it's an old house" items. Caulking, paint touchups, dirty filter, missing weatherstripping. Don't ask. You'll spend negotiation capital with nothing to show.
Credit vs. repair: choose credit, almost always
- Credit at closing = you control the contractor, timeline, and quality.
- Seller repairs = cheapest-bid handyman the seller can find, often discovered to be incomplete after move-in.
- Only ask for repairs when the lender requires them (e.g., FHA/VA appraisal called out chipping paint, broken handrail) or when the system must be functional at closing (water heater, AC).
What it costs (Texas 2026 averages, for sizing requests)
| Finding | Typical credit ask |
|---|---|
| Roof at end of life (15+ yrs, no leaks) | $8,000 – $14,000 |
| HVAC system 12+ yrs | $6,000 – $10,000 per unit |
| Water heater 10+ yrs | $1,200 – $2,400 |
| Foundation level required (slab, no signs of failure) | $300 – $500 (elevation survey only) |
| Foundation cosmetic crack + sloping floors | Engineer's report first, then $4,000–$15,000 |
| Electrical: replace double-tapped breakers, missing GFCI | $400 – $800 |
| Plumbing: minor leaks, P-trap replacements | $300 – $600 |
| Old pool equipment (pump, filter, heater) | $2,000 – $4,500 |
| Termite / WDI evidence + treatment | $800 – $2,200 + repair |
The negotiation letter that works
Send via your agent on the Amendment to Contract (TXR 1903) - never as a casual email. Three components:
- Brief framing - "Buyer remains committed to purchase. Inspection identified four material items requiring address."
- Bulleted list of items with inspector quote + estimated cost from a licensed contractor when available.
- Single dollar ask as a closing credit. Don't itemize each repair - bundle.
Five tactical rules
- Never re-open price. Always ask for a closing credit instead - preserves your appraisal and equity position.
- Get one quote in writing for the largest item. Sellers respect documentation more than estimates.
- Don't ask within 24 hours of contract. Wait until day 4 or 5 of option period so the seller doesn't see it as buyer's remorse.
- If seller refuses, walk before option expires. Option fee is the cost of due diligence. Cheap insurance.
- Have your lender pre-vet the credit cap. Excess credits revert to seller. Don't ask for more than your loan type allows.
What to do if the foundation report is bad
Get a structural engineer's report ($350–$600) BEFORE asking the seller for anything. If it recommends piers, get one bid from a tier-1 foundation company (Olshan, Childers, Du-West). Then ask for that exact dollar amount as a credit, with a copy of the bid attached. Sellers concede faster to documented numbers.