The Buyer’s Inspection

Once under contract, the buyer typically hires an inspector. Based on the findings, they may request repairs, ask for a credit, or occasionally raise concerns that threaten the deal. As the seller, you can agree to requests, negotiate a compromise, offer a credit instead of doing repairs, or decline — each with consequences depending on the market and the buyer’s position.

Responding to Repair Requests

How you respond depends on the findings, your priorities, and current market leverage. Genuine issues often warrant a response to keep the deal together; minor or cosmetic requests may be negotiable. A skilled agent helps you decide when to accommodate and when to hold firm, keeping the transaction moving without giving away more than necessary.

The Appraisal

The buyer’s lender orders an appraisal to confirm the home’s value supports the loan. If it meets or exceeds the sale price, financing proceeds smoothly. A correctly priced home, supported by comparable sales, is far less likely to face appraisal problems — another reason accurate pricing matters.

When the Appraisal Comes in Low

If an appraisal comes in below the sale price, the seller has options: renegotiate the price, hold firm and ask the buyer to cover the gap, meet in the middle, or in some cases the deal may be challenged. A low appraisal opens a negotiation rather than automatically ending the sale, and good representation helps you navigate it to a resolution.

Frequently Asked Questions

Inspection and appraisal are the two hurdles after the offer — and handling both calmly, with representation that knows your leverage, is what carries a sale to closing.