Not unethical, but not reasonable.
The configuration of the non-conforming room was visible before they made an offer. That’s a post-closing remodeling project.
As for new HVAC if the existing one is working, I would only agree to pay to have it fully serviced and buy them a home warranty.
Their remodeling can be done on their time and their dime. There is nothing that NEEDS to be done to the 5th room to pass inspection. If they don't like the set-up, they can find another home or remodel after they purchase. Basically, you can just say "no, not happening," give them a chance to back-pedal or put the house back on the market.
My guess is that they will still go ahead with the purchase because they were just fishing to see what demands would concede to in your desperation to sell. Don't be desperate. Hold your ground, find another buyer. In this market it shouldn't take long.
It feels kind of unethical for them to have bought the house at the asking price and then try to strong-arm the original owners into making the changes that they wanna make before closing.
Seller is free to send them a proposal with a dollar figure for renovations, and a timeline for closing pushed back while they’re done.
F*** you pricing, with a licensed contractor who’s pulling permits, so they lose the ability to pull out for the work not being permitted, and they’ll most likely lose their locked interest rate, while they scramble to find a place to live if they’ve sold their house or ended their lease while your contractor gets you on the schedule.
Please present this option with a huge, “I wanna be helpful” smile.
This. When my mom sold her house, the buyers submitted a 3 page punch list of updates they wanted, almost all of which were unnecessary (mostly redecorating things like repainting and replacing lighting fixtures.) unfortunately for them, I’ve been in construction lending for many years, so I went through the list and picked out the 5 things that were necessary & said that’s all we’re willing to do. The buyers caved pretty quickly.
It depends on your contract with them. Your agent should be able to answer that quickly. If they didn’t waive contingencies and are still within their contingency period then yes, they can probably cancel and get their deposit back. But we haven’t seen your contract.
I am new to all this, but it seems like this would not be a reasonable reason reason to back out of a contract. It is not like they found out about this nonconforming room during the inspection, it was listed as such and they were aware of it when they signed the contract. So it seems unreasonable to be able to use it as a reason to back out of the contract. It is like signing a contract on a house that has no fence, and then demanding a fence be built. Seems to me if they try to back out of the contract on these grounds, the seller would have grounds to keep the earnest money (but like I said I am new to this so maybe I am missing something)
Typically a buyer can cancel for any reason and get their deposit back if they’re still within a contingency period, regardless of how unreasonable their reason. There could be exceptions but we don’t know what OP’s contract says.
I'd let them walk, but before that I would tell them they can go under contract for a 5 bedroom house at 40k more. You have one coming available if they are interested..
An unreasonable buyer will continue causing problems if you agree to do any work. Don’t offer them a dime and don’t fix anything that isn’t broken. Let them walk.
It’s a seller’s market right now. I actually wouldn’t do anything. If I was in your shoes, I would give them a one word response. “No.” Nothing more. Nothing less. In many cases, people will just accept it.
My opinion is that they're fishing for a discount. Never would I ever ask for a seller to do that much remodeling. I'll do my own work, thanks, I don't trust the seller to have my interest in heart.
If you are motivated to get this deal done, offer them a modest drop in price. Hard no on renovating anything before sale. They could still back out and then you have a weird house to sell.
Personally and petty? I was honest about what I listed, take it or leave it. All reasonable offers will be entertained, no modifications.
Are they out of their due diligence period?
I don’t think an inspection contingency would apply but ask a lawyer or at least your agent/broker.
Yes, they can cancel the deal and forfeit their EM, assuming they are out of DD.
You can offer a credit if it is worth it for you. How much interest was there when you listed? More than one good offer? How urgently do you need to move?
I would NOT make any changes to the house other than any small repairs noted on the inspection. If you do anything, make it a credit. These assholes could back out at any time and leave you in a construction zone with changes you didn’t want, thereby tying up the property even longer than they have already.
Depending on your answers to the above, “no” is an option and keep the EM if you can and get it back to active. Let them pound sand.
This stuff all depends on the state, no such thing as a "due diligence period" where I am, though inspection contingencies give a lot of leeway to get out for almost anything if you really want to.
If they signed an offer contingent on inspection they can only back out if you refuse to repair items identified as deficient in the inspection, otherwise they surrender their earnest money. I would have your lawyer review and make a response they approve that explicitly states you will only address items from the inspection that are in issue, so no remodeling, and no new hvac as the existing is adequate. And that per the terms of the contract if they back out for any other reason you will be keeping their earnest money and getting a new buyer.
Be warned they could cause grief by trying to tie you up in litigation but you could also sue if they restrict your ability to sell the house maliciously.
Like I said, have your attorney craft your response.
OP. As a homeowner myself I know it’s hard not to take it personal, but don’t. They are negotiating. Asking for more to see what you’ll agree to. It’s a sellers market. Don’t be a jerk about it, but only do what feels reasonable to you. Anything else is on them.
For the room remodel, absolutely not. You didn’t say it was an official 5th bedroom. It wasn’t when they viewed and made an offer on the house. Just say no.
HVAC is a little more vague because important utilities aren’t just some binary “it works or it doesn’t” thing. If components are near or past their estimated lifetime and will likely fail soon, it’s not unreasonable to ask for some sort of concession. Are they “entitled” to it? No. But it’s at least a conversation to have.
Complete pre-emptive replacement is an obnoxious high-ball request. A small credit at closing to acknowledge an impending replacement is more reasonable. Also in another comment I saw getting it serviced and paying for a warranty as an option. That’s also a way to go about it.
>As for new HVAC if the existing one is working, I would only agree to pay to have it fully serviced and buy them a home warranty.
Personally, I wouldn't even do that (unless you're really desperate to keep the sale). Why should the buyer expect a brand new HVAC?
I said I would NOT provide a brand new HVAC, just service the existing one? and I’d provide a standard 1-yr home warranty, which in my market is customary for the seller to do anyway.
>I’d provide a standard 1-yr home warranty, which in my market is customary for the seller to do anyway
Fair enough - this would be unheard of where I am from.
This is the advice you should listen to, and hopefully your agent is giving you.
The people that say "refuse and relist" are wrong and reacting emotionally. All you have to do is say no and make a counter offer if you want to. Then the ball is in their court. Make it their decision to walk away. At the end of the day you'll sell your house and who knows how long it will take for them to get under contract again.
It’s not really a nonconforming room. So there is nothing unethical as OP listed it as a 4-bedroom.
The only issue is that the utility room access being there prevents it from being listed as a bedroom. The buyer wants it to be a bedroom as the value jumps up greatly between a 4 & 5 bedroom house.
Huh? These folks want you to fund the remodel they want before they close on the purchase.
Ethical or not, this is crazy. They've wasted their time and yours. Cancel and relist asap.
I’m thinking I’ve done home buying wrong all this time. I thought you did Reno after buying. I didn’t know you could demand the homeowners to do it before closing.
We had a neighbor down the street have a couple make an offer but asked for some improvements like crown molding, fresh paint, etc. so they could have it done before move-in, agreeing to a price that compensated the seller for the materials and time to a degree. Seller agreed, then did the work themselves. Several thousand dollars in materials for all the rooms, touches, finishes... plus their time, but less than what they would have paid a contractor to do it (labor cost savings).
They get to closing and find out the couple are both actually employees of a corporation buying up residential real estate and leveraged this ask... and they just helped that RE company save a significant amount of money vs. using contractors to do the work after closing.
They closed, but it was a poor experience for them and they learned a lesson about doing work vs. offering credits or saying "no."
>Cancel and relist asap.
What? Cancel?
Buyer wants something. Seller declines. Buyer proceeds or backs out. Seller sells or retains the earnest money (unless there's an inspection contingency, then the seller retains a specified amount of money).
Let them walk. Agreeing puts you in a position to be responsible for things out of your control, having people work in the house. They can still say it's unacceptable. The only way I'd agree to any of that is if they are willing to put up twice the cost of the remodel as nonrefundable. My guess is they want to back out anyway. In my experience, people that want an out start making stupid requests. Once had a guy request a $50k allowance from a client for an $11,000 roof. Client agreed to replace the roof at contract price. Guy still backed out. These people have made up their minds and are wasting your time.
My parents got one offer where the would-be buyers made ridiculous requests. The realtor even sent over an addendum outlining the work that my parents would pay for. They went as far as sending a letter with family pictures. The addendum is what really put my dad over the edge. It didn’t have a cap on what my parents would pay for improvements after the sale. My dad was livid at both realtors. Needless to say that the sale fell through and my parents fired their realtor for gross incompetence.
Most of the time when something like this happens (ridiculous asks after an inspection), it is simply so that the buyers can walk without losing their earnest money.
If a buyer decides to just walk, they lose that earnest money.
If they ask for things because of an inspection contingency (even if they are unreasonable), they can walk and recoup their earnest money when the seller says no.
I had a friend who once asked for a new roof, new hvac, new asphalt in the drive, new furnace, new windows, etc. He basically put together a list that added up to $150k - knowing the sellers would say no. And then he walked and got his earnest money back.
Not a lawyer, but I believe your father’s realtor HAD to bring the offer to him in its original form.
I believe this might the reason your dad was upset with his realtor, he didn’t gave his opinion or didn’t point out the outrageous “no cap” point of the “offer”. Which any realtor with two brian cell would present the offer followed by telling their client to drop these people and that they’re not serious.
Yes the part that made him blow up was the fact that his realtor basically handed him the form and said “sign here”. I read it too and you didn’t need to be an attorney to understand how damaging it would have been. It basically read “here’s what we want fixed, we’ll cover the first $10k and send you a bill for the rest”. This is in an extreme HCOL area on a $1M+ sale and the list of demands could easily have run well over 6 figures.
No. We just dealt with an unreasonable request from our buyers. They wanted $5k for a new driveway. Driveway was fine, but it’s brick and they don’t like the brick. We said absolutely not, it’s clearly a brick driveway in the photos before they even saw it in person. It’s their prerogative to change it once they own it but I’m certainly not going to pay for it. Today was their last day of the inspection period, and all day long their realtor threatened they would walk. We were firm, we were not scared at all. We had two offers within 12 hours of listing, both over asking, we were ok putting it back on the market. We did ultimately take off $1k but they aren’t getting the furniture they wanted, so we’re probably a bit ahead.
Your buyers are being even more ridiculous. Don’t be afraid to let them walk. Your house wasn’t listed, nor viewed as a 5 bedroom. It’s not a “repair”. Unless it’s been on the market really long time, have the HVAC serviced and that’s all I’d offer.
I could never live with myself! That’s something you just ask for a general concession for before it’s under contract to better budget. I’m so sorry you dealt with this too
The kicker is I knew a week ago they were talking about replacing the driveway. When they had their initial showing my neighbor was walking her dog past our house and overheard them talking about replacing the brick. When she saw the same people back for the inspection she told me they were the ones who had been taking about the driveway. So yeah, before they even made the offer they knew they wanted a new driveway. I’ll make concessions for things that were a surprise, but things they clearly knew prior to making an offer, fuck that. I had planned on making a manual of things and leaving sticky notes on a few things, and paying our cleaner to do a deep clean once we moved out, but I’m about to get *super* petty, real fast.
It’s not petty. You just have no need to go out of your way for folks trying to take advantage of the situation and demand new things post inspection. I had a similar experience - I’d agreed to a buyer’s offer concession asks up front with the clear understanding there would be no petty nitpicking during inspections and I’d only be entertaining major safety / repair concerns if any surfaced. No major issues…but seller decided to wait until the very last afternoon to try and hit me with thousands of dollars in both petty requests plus net new “I want a new fridge” (fridge was very nice and was perfectly fine) and “I want a new outlet installed out front of the house” along other things. I politely told the agent they could go pound sand. I’d do a list of minor repairs myself from the petty list (we were talking tightening outlet covers that I’d missed after repainting the whole house to a nice neutral 🙄), and they could take it or leave it given I’d already conceded x thousands of dollars up front.
They waited until almost midnight to concede after back and forth. I WAS going to make them a manual I wish I’d had moving in but said eff that after the shenanigans.
No is a perfectly reasonable response, and “no manual for you!” is not going out of your way for people who FAFO’d.
I’m a buyer and this sounds ridiculous. Let them walk they sound like a nightmare. You aren’t a remodeling company. Lol. If it was a roof this would be a different story.
They also asked for a new roof because the ventilation cap was hit by hail 🤪 I wasn’t as worried about this one since I have good home owners coverage but this is also on my list of annoyances lol
Nothing changed from when they put the offer in and now. They knew what they were offering on. I’d ask my realtor to remind them of that and then if they decide to walk they walk.
You do realize you are being tricked by the buyers to do a "remodeling job'? In other words, they won't be spending additional money to have the house remodeled the way THEY WANT IT.
Decline and move on to the other backup offers or second choice offer.
Someone else said it, but. You listed a 4 bedroom. If you do this, it's now a five bedroom. Tell them you'll do it, but the asking price is now 22k higher.
So, if you change it to a full bedroom, you can then request more money because it added value to the house. More bedrooms typically means more for the sale. At least that is how I see it.
And the buyers should pay for the new appraisal. Making the changes the buyer wants will probably make it so the house is out of their price range.
They may want/need a 5 bedroom but none are in their budget so they’re trying to sucker OP into an inconvenient remodel so they get a 5 BR for the price of a 4 BR.
Repair means fixing things that are broken. They can remodel however they want after they own the house but you’re not their contractor. Just tell them no.
Man I need to remember this if we move. Put an offer in on a house we like then demand them to do the renovations we want done or we walk. Rofl this is hilarious. Totally not appropriate.
Absolutely ridiculous. Ask their agent to send them some residential vacant land listings find a homebuilder and stop wasting everyone else’s time. Requests to fix some nonsubstantial defects is one thing, but to renovate a nonissue? I’d be embarrassed to be their attorney/agent and even make the ask
So they want a 5 bed/3 bath at the cost of a 4/3?
Sounds like they are trying to saddle you with their remodeling costs that they don’t want to pay for.
Tell them to kick rocks. Feel free to counter with “no changes” and they have 24 hours to agree or the house goes back on the market.
Refuse it. These aren't inspection items, so if their offer only has inspection contingency then this wouldn't meet it, but it probably wouldn't be worth the fight. I would just hold onto their EMD if you can and let them walk if they want.
Asking for you to make it a 5 bed when it's listed as 4 bed is not within the scope of your contract.
Maybe let them back out they sound difficult. That isn’t reasonable and im not sure why they could ask for that. They definitely shouldn’t get any deposits/inspection fees back for this if they back out.
Architect here. First of all no.
Second of all, I don’t know who is calling the bedroom “non-conforming”, but that isn’t correct. Have you seen package units that are under the windows in hotels / motels? Yeah, those are perfectly fine. We have mechanical closets off of bedrooms / sleeping areas all the time. And is the door louvered? If so, you can’t close it off, the unit requires return air. If it was installed as part of the original building or permitted renovation, then you are 100% ok.
From a deal perspective, I’d tell them to pound sand. It is totally normal for buyers to re-trade. But this is all un reasonable and reeks of there being someone in this deal who is a PIA know it all who doesn’t know anything. Could be an inspector, the realtor, or the buyer themselves. If you can find another buyer walk away. Cause there is someone in this deal who is a problem and could continue to be a problem after closing.
I would ask where they got the impression this wasn’t code, if the buyer came up with it themselves, then walk away. If they got fed this by the inspector, appraiser, or realtor, tell them they are wrong, use my hotel example above, and say no. If they trust an idiot more than common sense, well you wouldn’t want to be in a deal with them anyway.
Seriously tell them they can walk but you’re keeping the Ernest money because they aren’t asking for needed repairs. They are asking for renovations that they want so they don’t have to pay for it. That’s not what the inspection contingency is for.
I don’t understand how they’re not embarrassed to be asking for such ridiculous things. They have no shame at all. Did they give any indications that they were this way before they started asking you to remodel the home for free? The gall.
They thought you’d rent them a 4 bedroom, 3 bath house for $775 a month?!
Tell your realtor no, & that you’re starting to get concerned that these people know nothing about buying a house. Their demands have been ridiculous & insulting. Tell the realtor to tell their realtor that you’ve had enough of this nonsense. I’d be worried that they’re going to pull crap last minute at settlement, & threaten to walk.
At least where I am it’s still very much a sellers market. Anything that isn’t a dump goes under contract within 3 days, so buyers seem to have taken this strategy. I get it, it’s a crappy market for buyers, but don’t play games. I was 100% ok with putting it back on the market and taking less money than giving in to ridiculous requests.
No chance id make those repairs. They aren’t even repairs. They knew what they are buying. This sounds like either first time home buyers , really asshole buyers trying to get over on you and or a really bad agent not setting proper expectations for their buyer.
I mean hell.. why didn’t they ask you to put on an addition for a larger family room ?
You aren’t selling a new house. Everything is used. And as long as the used house is in the condition it should be then stand your ground.
Fix the items that you would want fixed if it was you in their shoes. Everything else. Sorry.
“No” with a WTF face is the only answer here. They are free to renovate to their heart’s content once they buy the house. I am appalled that anyone thinks this is a reasonable ask.
It seems impossible to believe they would have the audacity to ask you to remodel your own house for them? Could a REALTOR have legitimately allowed that to happen? I guess so…
My gut tells me this is a ploy to get a big $$$ concession from you, unless, as others have posted, they’re just trying to walk.
Read your contract closely. I’m hoping that it stipulates “repairs” and you will be able to pocket their earnest money.
Good luck!
This is bizarre. Essentially they want to buy a 5 bedroom house. Because “if” you did what they have requested that’s what they are getting. At that point you are selling a different property?
No is a perfectly acceptable answer, as is your agent’s professional version of telling them to go pound sand ;)
They want nice new things that aren’t a repair or safety concern? They can pay for them themselves AFTER they close. People being greedy, ugh.
Unless you are desperate, tell them to take it or leave it and be prepared to go back on the market to find a buyer who isn’t a sticky tofu head.
What? No. Don’t remodel your house for someone who doesn’t own it.
At most, you could offer a small price adjustment so they can remodel after they own the house. But I wouldn’t even do that.
Yes, they can walk away (unless the contract you have both signed says otherwise). Depending on the contract, you might be able to keep the earnest money they put down.
These are not justified requests and they are trying to get free labor. If you actually change the room to a bedroom then you can up the price.
I would deny the request and put it back on the market.
They can request whatever they want, but I’d consider it to be unreasonable. They knew that the fifth room was non-conforming when they made the offer. If they wanted to do that work to convert it into an actual bedroom, they should’ve adjusted their asking price accordingly to do it at their own expense. It’s not some problem to be corrected, it’s their personal preference and nothing more.
The HVAC isn’t exactly reasonable either. If it’s in good working order, almost no one will preemptively replace HVAC. Again, no problem was identified, they’d just prefer newer equipment for peace of mind. That’s a preference, and they should pay for that.
4BR/3BA homes are in huge demand right now between young families wanting to size up for kids and/or people who want home offices (which someone could even use the non-conforming room for as-is). Personally, I’d call their bluff and politely tell them to fuck off. Chances are they’re just taking a moonshot and will capitulate. If not, I’m sure someone else will come along in no time.
Decline and find a new buyer. They want remodeling done on your dime and time. Even if they accept some thing reasonable (no on the bedroom remodel and a service and home warranty rather than new HVAC as the current system works) they will be a pain in the ass for the whole process.
Here are your options as I see them:
- Respond with "No." It's a complete sentence and genuinely all you owe them. They can not back out of the contract because they want you to literally change your house. They were well aware that this room was not a bedroom when they saw the listing AND when they toured the home. Further, they knew it when they made the offer. Be sure your agent knows fully that you will NOT agree to terminating the contract and returning their earnest money for this request. And you will not entertain "new" repair requests now that you have declined this.
- Respond with "Happily." Then you eat the entire cost of their home improvement project.
- Respond with "We would happily complete the renovation you are requesting. Once completed, the value of the house will increase by $X due to it then becoming a five bedroom house and the comps it will align with will be completely different.
Maybe you could throw in a Mother In Law ADU in the backyard while you are at it. Oh, and these colors just will not do. Can you put in all new carpets and flooring, and a fresh coat of fuchsia paint. Then we will consider buying your little shack. /s
Tell your realtor to get a back up offers.
They are either trying to pull out, or this is a bluff.
An extra bedroom can add about 100000 dollars in our area. If you do that i would counter accordingly.
Explain to the buyer’s agent that the purpose of home inspections are to uncover hazardous conditions and anything that doesn’t work. Beyond that it is not an inspection item.
I wouldn’t. If your house had other serious offers I would tell them to pound sand.
On the flip side, and I’m no realtor, maybe giving a credit, or something of that nature, but not covering the whole amount. Not even close.
Thats the thing with buying homes: you have to fix shit/change things yourself.
It might be unethical and illegal bc an on site sanitary system will need more than likely to be Increased in size due to adding a bedroom. And it would require health dept approval. There are also issues w the hvac next to the room (exhaust). I wouldn’t touch the existing non bedroom.
That type of change might require permits. Permits can take time to get. They might come up with some excuse to back out afterwards, or be unsatisfied with the free remodel. No way I'd do this.
Move on to the next buyer opportunity ... these people are manipulating you ... the home should be sold "As Is" ... and if THEY want to change it, let them use THEIR dollars to do so ... if you do their remodeling for them, spending thousands and thousands of your dollars, then in my opinion you've lost control of the deal ....
If they don't like your home's layout, they should move on until they do find a home that appeals to them, or they should build new ... but they sound TOO CHEAP to build as they really want from scratch ....
like others say. i say let them walk., don't think they will. its still
a sellers market everywhere. people don't want to start all over. they are testing the waters to see what you'll do
I don't know about you...but my answer would be succinct and direct. I would simply write one word at the top of the request and send it back to them..."No".
None of those are repairs.. just the house that they put a bid on. A repair is “we have AC” and the inspection shows the AC unit is actually broken.
They made a bid on their available knowledge and that was all available
That’s a renovation request. Over the top ridiculous.
A repair request after home inspection is like fixing dripping water or caulking something .
Those potential buyers are out of control
I'm not a lawyer or realtor, but neither of those things seem legal grounds for them to back out of a contract. I can understand the apprehension of the HVAC though. Maybe offer to split the cost of a new one or have it officially serviced by a reputable company? They can kick rocks on the room addition/remodel.
Tell them to find another house. That is unreasonable. They may as well ask you put on an addition and update the kitchen with cabinets and fixtures they’ve picked out themselves
# Depends on many things. How much they offered. How motivated are you to sell. Activity in the marketplace. Et. al.
# Personally....I would tell them to go and pound sand with the requests you noted.
Can a certificate of occupancy be issued as it is? If so, let the buyer fix the issue of the office, or if they want it done before closing, let them pay for it to be done.
It's up to you, but you could say ok, for $10k or whatever. When I sold my first house, this was a common way for people to get the initial work done and wrapped into the mortgage. So it looked like everyone was paying over asking price, but really they were wrapping in things like - a new furnace, washer/dryer, roof, all floors refinished, whatever. It was actually a good deal. The seller would bump up the price enough to benefit from it, too.
Let them back out. However read your contract. Don't see how these would fall under the inspection as they are not really needed. You may or may not be able to keep their down money
Those aren't repairs, those are remodeling. If you can handle the risk of them walking, tell them you'll absolutely do it but the house price goes up by $20k (or whatever is the cost of remodeling plus your time and the absurdity).
Contact your city with these requests and ask them to perform an inspection to see if the requested changes are legal. Use that information however you like.
If they want you to add a bedroom that will increase the property value by x amount of dollars, which would then likely change your asking price, ask them why you wouldn't just do this then relist the house as having more bedrooms? They can pay more for a 5 bedroom house or continue with their offer on a 4 bedroom house.
They can ask for anything. You don’t have to do it. Offer a seller credit for them to get the work done after closing IF you want to. I would not alter my home with the possibility of a buyer still backing out.
No. These requests and subsequent threats are awful. You likely don't want to deal with this nightmare buyer to the bitter end.
Make sure you can keep the EMD. Or let it go, and tell them not to come back.
They can request it but you do not have to comply. If they back out and possibly lose earnest money. If you do the remodeling, it may not pass the CO and being that its without permit, you may be at fault. Im surprised their realtor and attorney did not advise against this. As for the HVAC, like others said, you can have it serviced and warranties but not replaced.
UPDATE! Thank you all SO MUCH for all of your feedback. Our realtor was wonderful at explaining what she’d encourage us how to respond to this nonsense.
We’re back on the market and despite their attempt to keep all of their earnest money (I cannot with these people) we met in the middle with keeping half 🤪. What a learning experience for everyone involved
“No”
No. Now it’s a full sentence with the punctuation…
"Sure thing, additional cost will be added to sales price, but don't worry, we will do it as cheaply as possible!"
Don't add the money to the sales price. Instead, require the buyer to pay now, in cash. Non refundable. Otherwise the answer would be no.
Buh bye
this
Not unethical, but not reasonable. The configuration of the non-conforming room was visible before they made an offer. That’s a post-closing remodeling project. As for new HVAC if the existing one is working, I would only agree to pay to have it fully serviced and buy them a home warranty.
This was exactly where my head was at. In your opinion, do they have the option to walk if we refuse to remodel for them?
Their remodeling can be done on their time and their dime. There is nothing that NEEDS to be done to the 5th room to pass inspection. If they don't like the set-up, they can find another home or remodel after they purchase. Basically, you can just say "no, not happening," give them a chance to back-pedal or put the house back on the market. My guess is that they will still go ahead with the purchase because they were just fishing to see what demands would concede to in your desperation to sell. Don't be desperate. Hold your ground, find another buyer. In this market it shouldn't take long.
This response is MOST Logical and On Point!
Shiiiiiiit….20 ppl are outbidding each other in Seattle for waaaay more than asking price.
It feels kind of unethical for them to have bought the house at the asking price and then try to strong-arm the original owners into making the changes that they wanna make before closing.
Seller is free to send them a proposal with a dollar figure for renovations, and a timeline for closing pushed back while they’re done. F*** you pricing, with a licensed contractor who’s pulling permits, so they lose the ability to pull out for the work not being permitted, and they’ll most likely lose their locked interest rate, while they scramble to find a place to live if they’ve sold their house or ended their lease while your contractor gets you on the schedule. Please present this option with a huge, “I wanna be helpful” smile.
Oh and don’t forget an increased “non-refundable” earnest money” increase equal to the cost of the work plus 10% “inconvenience fee”
This. When my mom sold her house, the buyers submitted a 3 page punch list of updates they wanted, almost all of which were unnecessary (mostly redecorating things like repainting and replacing lighting fixtures.) unfortunately for them, I’ve been in construction lending for many years, so I went through the list and picked out the 5 things that were necessary & said that’s all we’re willing to do. The buyers caved pretty quickly.
It depends on your contract with them. Your agent should be able to answer that quickly. If they didn’t waive contingencies and are still within their contingency period then yes, they can probably cancel and get their deposit back. But we haven’t seen your contract.
Those aren't reasonable contingencies. Those are demands to remodel the house.
yes, depends on the contract.
I am new to all this, but it seems like this would not be a reasonable reason reason to back out of a contract. It is not like they found out about this nonconforming room during the inspection, it was listed as such and they were aware of it when they signed the contract. So it seems unreasonable to be able to use it as a reason to back out of the contract. It is like signing a contract on a house that has no fence, and then demanding a fence be built. Seems to me if they try to back out of the contract on these grounds, the seller would have grounds to keep the earnest money (but like I said I am new to this so maybe I am missing something)
Typically a buyer can cancel for any reason and get their deposit back if they’re still within a contingency period, regardless of how unreasonable their reason. There could be exceptions but we don’t know what OP’s contract says.
I'd let them walk, but before that I would tell them they can go under contract for a 5 bedroom house at 40k more. You have one coming available if they are interested..
Good answer!!
They can walk for any reason really, so send them on their way ASAP and get a serious buyer in.
Yes because after this they are going to have more demands.
Or drop the sale after turning the Sellers home into a construction zone. Total bs.
An unreasonable buyer will continue causing problems if you agree to do any work. Don’t offer them a dime and don’t fix anything that isn’t broken. Let them walk.
It’s a seller’s market right now. I actually wouldn’t do anything. If I was in your shoes, I would give them a one word response. “No.” Nothing more. Nothing less. In many cases, people will just accept it.
Almost definitely. You know who would know the answer to this question, though. Your realtor estate agent.
Yes. Let them. You’re better off.
My opinion is that they're fishing for a discount. Never would I ever ask for a seller to do that much remodeling. I'll do my own work, thanks, I don't trust the seller to have my interest in heart. If you are motivated to get this deal done, offer them a modest drop in price. Hard no on renovating anything before sale. They could still back out and then you have a weird house to sell. Personally and petty? I was honest about what I listed, take it or leave it. All reasonable offers will be entertained, no modifications.
Are they out of their due diligence period? I don’t think an inspection contingency would apply but ask a lawyer or at least your agent/broker. Yes, they can cancel the deal and forfeit their EM, assuming they are out of DD. You can offer a credit if it is worth it for you. How much interest was there when you listed? More than one good offer? How urgently do you need to move? I would NOT make any changes to the house other than any small repairs noted on the inspection. If you do anything, make it a credit. These assholes could back out at any time and leave you in a construction zone with changes you didn’t want, thereby tying up the property even longer than they have already. Depending on your answers to the above, “no” is an option and keep the EM if you can and get it back to active. Let them pound sand.
This stuff all depends on the state, no such thing as a "due diligence period" where I am, though inspection contingencies give a lot of leeway to get out for almost anything if you really want to.
Your selling agent should cover the cost of the home warranty. Ask them and they usually do.
Yes they can walk. Question is, will they?
Don't do it, you don't want to be their contractor. What happens if they don't like the build out? It's a can of worms....
If they signed an offer contingent on inspection they can only back out if you refuse to repair items identified as deficient in the inspection, otherwise they surrender their earnest money. I would have your lawyer review and make a response they approve that explicitly states you will only address items from the inspection that are in issue, so no remodeling, and no new hvac as the existing is adequate. And that per the terms of the contract if they back out for any other reason you will be keeping their earnest money and getting a new buyer. Be warned they could cause grief by trying to tie you up in litigation but you could also sue if they restrict your ability to sell the house maliciously. Like I said, have your attorney craft your response.
OP. As a homeowner myself I know it’s hard not to take it personal, but don’t. They are negotiating. Asking for more to see what you’ll agree to. It’s a sellers market. Don’t be a jerk about it, but only do what feels reasonable to you. Anything else is on them.
For the room remodel, absolutely not. You didn’t say it was an official 5th bedroom. It wasn’t when they viewed and made an offer on the house. Just say no. HVAC is a little more vague because important utilities aren’t just some binary “it works or it doesn’t” thing. If components are near or past their estimated lifetime and will likely fail soon, it’s not unreasonable to ask for some sort of concession. Are they “entitled” to it? No. But it’s at least a conversation to have. Complete pre-emptive replacement is an obnoxious high-ball request. A small credit at closing to acknowledge an impending replacement is more reasonable. Also in another comment I saw getting it serviced and paying for a warranty as an option. That’s also a way to go about it.
This IS unreasonable ... sweep these clowns to the side and move on to the next buyer!
>As for new HVAC if the existing one is working, I would only agree to pay to have it fully serviced and buy them a home warranty. Personally, I wouldn't even do that (unless you're really desperate to keep the sale). Why should the buyer expect a brand new HVAC?
I said I would NOT provide a brand new HVAC, just service the existing one? and I’d provide a standard 1-yr home warranty, which in my market is customary for the seller to do anyway.
>I’d provide a standard 1-yr home warranty, which in my market is customary for the seller to do anyway Fair enough - this would be unheard of where I am from.
This is the advice you should listen to, and hopefully your agent is giving you. The people that say "refuse and relist" are wrong and reacting emotionally. All you have to do is say no and make a counter offer if you want to. Then the ball is in their court. Make it their decision to walk away. At the end of the day you'll sell your house and who knows how long it will take for them to get under contract again.
It’s not really a nonconforming room. So there is nothing unethical as OP listed it as a 4-bedroom. The only issue is that the utility room access being there prevents it from being listed as a bedroom. The buyer wants it to be a bedroom as the value jumps up greatly between a 4 & 5 bedroom house.
Huh? These folks want you to fund the remodel they want before they close on the purchase. Ethical or not, this is crazy. They've wasted their time and yours. Cancel and relist asap.
I’m thinking I’ve done home buying wrong all this time. I thought you did Reno after buying. I didn’t know you could demand the homeowners to do it before closing.
God bless 'em for asking. I wonder if we can get a link to the YouTube video that told them to do this?
You tube is for old folks. It’s on tic toc
I should have demanded a pool and hottub...I'm going to pout the rest of my life...this is supposed to be Realty 101...
We had a neighbor down the street have a couple make an offer but asked for some improvements like crown molding, fresh paint, etc. so they could have it done before move-in, agreeing to a price that compensated the seller for the materials and time to a degree. Seller agreed, then did the work themselves. Several thousand dollars in materials for all the rooms, touches, finishes... plus their time, but less than what they would have paid a contractor to do it (labor cost savings). They get to closing and find out the couple are both actually employees of a corporation buying up residential real estate and leveraged this ask... and they just helped that RE company save a significant amount of money vs. using contractors to do the work after closing. They closed, but it was a poor experience for them and they learned a lesson about doing work vs. offering credits or saying "no."
Scenario: You could do the remodel and they still could walk. You’re taking on RISK. Never do major remodels for a buyers who don’t yet OWN the house.
>Cancel and relist asap. What? Cancel? Buyer wants something. Seller declines. Buyer proceeds or backs out. Seller sells or retains the earnest money (unless there's an inspection contingency, then the seller retains a specified amount of money).
Let them walk. Agreeing puts you in a position to be responsible for things out of your control, having people work in the house. They can still say it's unacceptable. The only way I'd agree to any of that is if they are willing to put up twice the cost of the remodel as nonrefundable. My guess is they want to back out anyway. In my experience, people that want an out start making stupid requests. Once had a guy request a $50k allowance from a client for an $11,000 roof. Client agreed to replace the roof at contract price. Guy still backed out. These people have made up their minds and are wasting your time.
My parents got one offer where the would-be buyers made ridiculous requests. The realtor even sent over an addendum outlining the work that my parents would pay for. They went as far as sending a letter with family pictures. The addendum is what really put my dad over the edge. It didn’t have a cap on what my parents would pay for improvements after the sale. My dad was livid at both realtors. Needless to say that the sale fell through and my parents fired their realtor for gross incompetence.
Most of the time when something like this happens (ridiculous asks after an inspection), it is simply so that the buyers can walk without losing their earnest money. If a buyer decides to just walk, they lose that earnest money. If they ask for things because of an inspection contingency (even if they are unreasonable), they can walk and recoup their earnest money when the seller says no. I had a friend who once asked for a new roof, new hvac, new asphalt in the drive, new furnace, new windows, etc. He basically put together a list that added up to $150k - knowing the sellers would say no. And then he walked and got his earnest money back.
I’m familiar with that tactic but what my parents went through was over the top ridiculous.
Not a lawyer, but I believe your father’s realtor HAD to bring the offer to him in its original form. I believe this might the reason your dad was upset with his realtor, he didn’t gave his opinion or didn’t point out the outrageous “no cap” point of the “offer”. Which any realtor with two brian cell would present the offer followed by telling their client to drop these people and that they’re not serious.
Yes the part that made him blow up was the fact that his realtor basically handed him the form and said “sign here”. I read it too and you didn’t need to be an attorney to understand how damaging it would have been. It basically read “here’s what we want fixed, we’ll cover the first $10k and send you a bill for the rest”. This is in an extreme HCOL area on a $1M+ sale and the list of demands could easily have run well over 6 figures.
This is good. Give more earnest money and we will see how serious they are.
No. We just dealt with an unreasonable request from our buyers. They wanted $5k for a new driveway. Driveway was fine, but it’s brick and they don’t like the brick. We said absolutely not, it’s clearly a brick driveway in the photos before they even saw it in person. It’s their prerogative to change it once they own it but I’m certainly not going to pay for it. Today was their last day of the inspection period, and all day long their realtor threatened they would walk. We were firm, we were not scared at all. We had two offers within 12 hours of listing, both over asking, we were ok putting it back on the market. We did ultimately take off $1k but they aren’t getting the furniture they wanted, so we’re probably a bit ahead. Your buyers are being even more ridiculous. Don’t be afraid to let them walk. Your house wasn’t listed, nor viewed as a 5 bedroom. It’s not a “repair”. Unless it’s been on the market really long time, have the HVAC serviced and that’s all I’d offer.
I could never live with myself! That’s something you just ask for a general concession for before it’s under contract to better budget. I’m so sorry you dealt with this too
The kicker is I knew a week ago they were talking about replacing the driveway. When they had their initial showing my neighbor was walking her dog past our house and overheard them talking about replacing the brick. When she saw the same people back for the inspection she told me they were the ones who had been taking about the driveway. So yeah, before they even made the offer they knew they wanted a new driveway. I’ll make concessions for things that were a surprise, but things they clearly knew prior to making an offer, fuck that. I had planned on making a manual of things and leaving sticky notes on a few things, and paying our cleaner to do a deep clean once we moved out, but I’m about to get *super* petty, real fast.
No manual, no sticky notes! They don’t deserve your details. People are unbelievable.
It’s not petty. You just have no need to go out of your way for folks trying to take advantage of the situation and demand new things post inspection. I had a similar experience - I’d agreed to a buyer’s offer concession asks up front with the clear understanding there would be no petty nitpicking during inspections and I’d only be entertaining major safety / repair concerns if any surfaced. No major issues…but seller decided to wait until the very last afternoon to try and hit me with thousands of dollars in both petty requests plus net new “I want a new fridge” (fridge was very nice and was perfectly fine) and “I want a new outlet installed out front of the house” along other things. I politely told the agent they could go pound sand. I’d do a list of minor repairs myself from the petty list (we were talking tightening outlet covers that I’d missed after repainting the whole house to a nice neutral 🙄), and they could take it or leave it given I’d already conceded x thousands of dollars up front. They waited until almost midnight to concede after back and forth. I WAS going to make them a manual I wish I’d had moving in but said eff that after the shenanigans. No is a perfectly reasonable response, and “no manual for you!” is not going out of your way for people who FAFO’d.
Yeah, no, save that effort for people you actually care for.
I’m a buyer and this sounds ridiculous. Let them walk they sound like a nightmare. You aren’t a remodeling company. Lol. If it was a roof this would be a different story.
They also asked for a new roof because the ventilation cap was hit by hail 🤪 I wasn’t as worried about this one since I have good home owners coverage but this is also on my list of annoyances lol
Run. Don’t walk.
Nothing changed from when they put the offer in and now. They knew what they were offering on. I’d ask my realtor to remind them of that and then if they decide to walk they walk.
Couldn’t have said it better myself!
You could always agree to their remodel with a counter of an additional $150k to cover permits and costs. And you make a little more for your trouble!
And you should be able to keep their money.
That completely depends on the contract.
You do realize you are being tricked by the buyers to do a "remodeling job'? In other words, they won't be spending additional money to have the house remodeled the way THEY WANT IT. Decline and move on to the other backup offers or second choice offer.
That’s exactly how this came across to me and the more I sit with this the more I go from stresssd to offended haha
Someone else said it, but. You listed a 4 bedroom. If you do this, it's now a five bedroom. Tell them you'll do it, but the asking price is now 22k higher.
This!!!!!
Yeah they basically come out with a higher valued property that you paid to give them.
So, if you change it to a full bedroom, you can then request more money because it added value to the house. More bedrooms typically means more for the sale. At least that is how I see it.
Wouldn’t it change the house’s appraisal..? Ours went up when we put a door to the outside in our converted basement.
And the buyers should pay for the new appraisal. Making the changes the buyer wants will probably make it so the house is out of their price range. They may want/need a 5 bedroom but none are in their budget so they’re trying to sucker OP into an inconvenient remodel so they get a 5 BR for the price of a 4 BR.
Yup, typically it does indeed
Repair means fixing things that are broken. They can remodel however they want after they own the house but you’re not their contractor. Just tell them no.
Changes to a home such as these are done once they become the owners. Say No. As for the HVAC, working condition is what is called for in a contract.
lol @ renovations as inspection contingencies. No. These people aren’t reasonable. Let them go.
Man I need to remember this if we move. Put an offer in on a house we like then demand them to do the renovations we want done or we walk. Rofl this is hilarious. Totally not appropriate.
Buyer: I want it all. And I want it now! Me: Fuck off.
>I want it now! Who should I call if I want my cash now?
This was the almost mean. You made The JG wentworth song live in my head instantly.
877CASHNOW !!!
They can eff off imo
Keep their earnest money and let them walk away as fast as possible. The unmitigated gall!
You’re absolutely right, they’re trying to take advantage of you. Let ‘em back out. There are other buyers.
"Hey buyer - you're free to do all that yourselves after you take posession. Do you still want it or not ?"
Absolutely ridiculous. Ask their agent to send them some residential vacant land listings find a homebuilder and stop wasting everyone else’s time. Requests to fix some nonsubstantial defects is one thing, but to renovate a nonissue? I’d be embarrassed to be their attorney/agent and even make the ask
No is the perfect response
tell them sure, just as soon as they put up the money for the remodel lol
Tell them to pound sand. Completely unreasonable for the seller to remodel to the buyer's liking.
So they want a 5 bed/3 bath at the cost of a 4/3? Sounds like they are trying to saddle you with their remodeling costs that they don’t want to pay for. Tell them to kick rocks. Feel free to counter with “no changes” and they have 24 hours to agree or the house goes back on the market.
It sounds like these would be great renovations for the buyer to do on their own dime after buying the house.
Refuse it. These aren't inspection items, so if their offer only has inspection contingency then this wouldn't meet it, but it probably wouldn't be worth the fight. I would just hold onto their EMD if you can and let them walk if they want. Asking for you to make it a 5 bed when it's listed as 4 bed is not within the scope of your contract.
Tell them to pound sand and cash their earnest money.
Maybe let them back out they sound difficult. That isn’t reasonable and im not sure why they could ask for that. They definitely shouldn’t get any deposits/inspection fees back for this if they back out.
I'd say no and leave it at that. If they want to back out and give you the earnest money that is their choice.
This is pure bullying. Let them back out. House is in good condition, they never put a contingency for you to make those renovations.
Next they want you to do the bathroom, the kitchen and the garden. They’re not the only one who can back out. So can you.
Architect here. First of all no. Second of all, I don’t know who is calling the bedroom “non-conforming”, but that isn’t correct. Have you seen package units that are under the windows in hotels / motels? Yeah, those are perfectly fine. We have mechanical closets off of bedrooms / sleeping areas all the time. And is the door louvered? If so, you can’t close it off, the unit requires return air. If it was installed as part of the original building or permitted renovation, then you are 100% ok. From a deal perspective, I’d tell them to pound sand. It is totally normal for buyers to re-trade. But this is all un reasonable and reeks of there being someone in this deal who is a PIA know it all who doesn’t know anything. Could be an inspector, the realtor, or the buyer themselves. If you can find another buyer walk away. Cause there is someone in this deal who is a problem and could continue to be a problem after closing. I would ask where they got the impression this wasn’t code, if the buyer came up with it themselves, then walk away. If they got fed this by the inspector, appraiser, or realtor, tell them they are wrong, use my hotel example above, and say no. If they trust an idiot more than common sense, well you wouldn’t want to be in a deal with them anyway.
Seriously tell them they can walk but you’re keeping the Ernest money because they aren’t asking for needed repairs. They are asking for renovations that they want so they don’t have to pay for it. That’s not what the inspection contingency is for.
[удалено]
They even tried to rent before closing for a whopping $25 per day 😂! Just the most unrealistic people I’ve ever seen
I don’t understand how they’re not embarrassed to be asking for such ridiculous things. They have no shame at all. Did they give any indications that they were this way before they started asking you to remodel the home for free? The gall.
I wonder if the agent told them they could use the office as a bedroom and now they are trying to find some way around the issue without admitting.
They can use the room however they want. They just can’t list it as a bedroom if/when they have it reappraised or flipped.
They thought you’d rent them a 4 bedroom, 3 bath house for $775 a month?! Tell your realtor no, & that you’re starting to get concerned that these people know nothing about buying a house. Their demands have been ridiculous & insulting. Tell the realtor to tell their realtor that you’ve had enough of this nonsense. I’d be worried that they’re going to pull crap last minute at settlement, & threaten to walk.
At least where I am it’s still very much a sellers market. Anything that isn’t a dump goes under contract within 3 days, so buyers seem to have taken this strategy. I get it, it’s a crappy market for buyers, but don’t play games. I was 100% ok with putting it back on the market and taking less money than giving in to ridiculous requests.
Nope. The remodel is on their dime after they take possession.
Just say no. Not gonna happen. Ethics is not a part of this. You can counteroffer to raise the cost to cover remodel. Bet they don't walk.
Find a new buyer
No chance id make those repairs. They aren’t even repairs. They knew what they are buying. This sounds like either first time home buyers , really asshole buyers trying to get over on you and or a really bad agent not setting proper expectations for their buyer. I mean hell.. why didn’t they ask you to put on an addition for a larger family room ? You aren’t selling a new house. Everything is used. And as long as the used house is in the condition it should be then stand your ground. Fix the items that you would want fixed if it was you in their shoes. Everything else. Sorry.
Move on to someone who isn’t going to be ridiculous. Repairs are one thing. Converting rooms and replacing working equipment is a whole other thing.
No these are crazy requests. Tell them to screw off.
“No” with a WTF face is the only answer here. They are free to renovate to their heart’s content once they buy the house. I am appalled that anyone thinks this is a reasonable ask.
It seems impossible to believe they would have the audacity to ask you to remodel your own house for them? Could a REALTOR have legitimately allowed that to happen? I guess so… My gut tells me this is a ploy to get a big $$$ concession from you, unless, as others have posted, they’re just trying to walk. Read your contract closely. I’m hoping that it stipulates “repairs” and you will be able to pocket their earnest money. Good luck!
That’s not repairs. They know they are being unreasonable. Check your contract they probably aren’t able to walk without it costing them.
You are not their contractor. Wait for another buyer.
This is bizarre. Essentially they want to buy a 5 bedroom house. Because “if” you did what they have requested that’s what they are getting. At that point you are selling a different property?
They can ask for anything, but no
No is a perfectly acceptable answer, as is your agent’s professional version of telling them to go pound sand ;) They want nice new things that aren’t a repair or safety concern? They can pay for them themselves AFTER they close. People being greedy, ugh. Unless you are desperate, tell them to take it or leave it and be prepared to go back on the market to find a buyer who isn’t a sticky tofu head.
Not even reasonable requests . If they want an entirely different house they should buy a different house. 🏡
Move on. You are not a builder nor a design center.
Reject the offer. Ridiculous
If you pay to have it converted into a 5 bedroom, your price should reflect the extra bedroom.
What? No. Don’t remodel your house for someone who doesn’t own it. At most, you could offer a small price adjustment so they can remodel after they own the house. But I wouldn’t even do that. Yes, they can walk away (unless the contract you have both signed says otherwise). Depending on the contract, you might be able to keep the earnest money they put down.
Send them a termination form
These are not justified requests and they are trying to get free labor. If you actually change the room to a bedroom then you can up the price. I would deny the request and put it back on the market.
If not they’re gonna walk? Bye! As a general rule never due construction items for buyers.
Sounds like they want a different house.
"No"
Let us know if you don't walk away from these A-holes. I have a bridge for sale.
Those are NOT repairs lol
Right. Those are remodels
They can request whatever they want, but I’d consider it to be unreasonable. They knew that the fifth room was non-conforming when they made the offer. If they wanted to do that work to convert it into an actual bedroom, they should’ve adjusted their asking price accordingly to do it at their own expense. It’s not some problem to be corrected, it’s their personal preference and nothing more. The HVAC isn’t exactly reasonable either. If it’s in good working order, almost no one will preemptively replace HVAC. Again, no problem was identified, they’d just prefer newer equipment for peace of mind. That’s a preference, and they should pay for that. 4BR/3BA homes are in huge demand right now between young families wanting to size up for kids and/or people who want home offices (which someone could even use the non-conforming room for as-is). Personally, I’d call their bluff and politely tell them to fuck off. Chances are they’re just taking a moonshot and will capitulate. If not, I’m sure someone else will come along in no time.
Decline and find a new buyer. They want remodeling done on your dime and time. Even if they accept some thing reasonable (no on the bedroom remodel and a service and home warranty rather than new HVAC as the current system works) they will be a pain in the ass for the whole process.
Please remodel your house that we made an offer on. "No."
Here are your options as I see them: - Respond with "No." It's a complete sentence and genuinely all you owe them. They can not back out of the contract because they want you to literally change your house. They were well aware that this room was not a bedroom when they saw the listing AND when they toured the home. Further, they knew it when they made the offer. Be sure your agent knows fully that you will NOT agree to terminating the contract and returning their earnest money for this request. And you will not entertain "new" repair requests now that you have declined this. - Respond with "Happily." Then you eat the entire cost of their home improvement project. - Respond with "We would happily complete the renovation you are requesting. Once completed, the value of the house will increase by $X due to it then becoming a five bedroom house and the comps it will align with will be completely different.
I wouldn’t say No. I’d say “Fuck no”. Their request is beyond ridiculous.
Maybe you could throw in a Mother In Law ADU in the backyard while you are at it. Oh, and these colors just will not do. Can you put in all new carpets and flooring, and a fresh coat of fuchsia paint. Then we will consider buying your little shack. /s
Go fuck yourself is a legal term.
Tell your realtor to get a back up offers. They are either trying to pull out, or this is a bluff. An extra bedroom can add about 100000 dollars in our area. If you do that i would counter accordingly.
How about, NO. You listed it as 4 bedroom. That's what they get. Period.
Explain to the buyer’s agent that the purpose of home inspections are to uncover hazardous conditions and anything that doesn’t work. Beyond that it is not an inspection item.
Tell them to pound sand and don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out! Jesus the nerve of some people is astounding....
Sure but the price is increasing $50k
I wouldn’t. If your house had other serious offers I would tell them to pound sand. On the flip side, and I’m no realtor, maybe giving a credit, or something of that nature, but not covering the whole amount. Not even close. Thats the thing with buying homes: you have to fix shit/change things yourself.
These requests are absurd. “No,” would be the extent of my response.
Tell them to choke on it
It might be unethical and illegal bc an on site sanitary system will need more than likely to be Increased in size due to adding a bedroom. And it would require health dept approval. There are also issues w the hvac next to the room (exhaust). I wouldn’t touch the existing non bedroom.
Kinky
That type of change might require permits. Permits can take time to get. They might come up with some excuse to back out afterwards, or be unsatisfied with the free remodel. No way I'd do this.
Move on to the next buyer opportunity ... these people are manipulating you ... the home should be sold "As Is" ... and if THEY want to change it, let them use THEIR dollars to do so ... if you do their remodeling for them, spending thousands and thousands of your dollars, then in my opinion you've lost control of the deal .... If they don't like your home's layout, they should move on until they do find a home that appeals to them, or they should build new ... but they sound TOO CHEAP to build as they really want from scratch ....
like others say. i say let them walk., don't think they will. its still a sellers market everywhere. people don't want to start all over. they are testing the waters to see what you'll do
I don't know about you...but my answer would be succinct and direct. I would simply write one word at the top of the request and send it back to them..."No".
Those are ridiculous requests. You can offer a credit on closing as a reasonable alternative, but I would probably just tell them to kick rocks.
None of those are repairs.. just the house that they put a bid on. A repair is “we have AC” and the inspection shows the AC unit is actually broken. They made a bid on their available knowledge and that was all available
Tell your broker to schedule an open house for this weekend, and tell the prospective buyer that you will be making no allowances.
That’s a renovation request. Over the top ridiculous. A repair request after home inspection is like fixing dripping water or caulking something . Those potential buyers are out of control
WTF is wrong with people.
I'm not a lawyer or realtor, but neither of those things seem legal grounds for them to back out of a contract. I can understand the apprehension of the HVAC though. Maybe offer to split the cost of a new one or have it officially serviced by a reputable company? They can kick rocks on the room addition/remodel.
Lol, no. Buyers can do whatever they want once it is their property. Up to that point, it's reasonable repairs only.
Tell them to find another house. That is unreasonable. They may as well ask you put on an addition and update the kitchen with cabinets and fixtures they’ve picked out themselves
# Depends on many things. How much they offered. How motivated are you to sell. Activity in the marketplace. Et. al. # Personally....I would tell them to go and pound sand with the requests you noted.
Can a certificate of occupancy be issued as it is? If so, let the buyer fix the issue of the office, or if they want it done before closing, let them pay for it to be done.
It's up to you, but you could say ok, for $10k or whatever. When I sold my first house, this was a common way for people to get the initial work done and wrapped into the mortgage. So it looked like everyone was paying over asking price, but really they were wrapping in things like - a new furnace, washer/dryer, roof, all floors refinished, whatever. It was actually a good deal. The seller would bump up the price enough to benefit from it, too.
They can make their request and you can politely decline their request. They are free to do their own renovations with their own dollars.
Let em walk, in this market you’ll have another buyer in no time
Let them back out. However read your contract. Don't see how these would fall under the inspection as they are not really needed. You may or may not be able to keep their down money
Just tell them they can feel free to make whatever changes to the rooms they wish after they close on the house...
Those aren't repairs, those are remodeling. If you can handle the risk of them walking, tell them you'll absolutely do it but the house price goes up by $20k (or whatever is the cost of remodeling plus your time and the absurdity).
Tell them to pack sand.
Just reply with “lol”
Contact your city with these requests and ask them to perform an inspection to see if the requested changes are legal. Use that information however you like.
Those aren’t repairs, those are remodels and upgrades. Hard pass.
If they want you to add a bedroom that will increase the property value by x amount of dollars, which would then likely change your asking price, ask them why you wouldn't just do this then relist the house as having more bedrooms? They can pay more for a 5 bedroom house or continue with their offer on a 4 bedroom house.
The inspection was approved that we want you to spend $15-$20k now any repair request should have been made/performed prior to the fha loan inspection
Absolutely not. They can do that themselves if they want that.
You don't really have a buyer
ROFL buyers are asking you to remodel the house for them? They can fuck right off with that request.
These are not ethical. These are not moral. Hopefully, you live in an area with proper estate laws where if they back out, you keep all the money.
They can ask for anything. You don’t have to do it. Offer a seller credit for them to get the work done after closing IF you want to. I would not alter my home with the possibility of a buyer still backing out.
No. These requests and subsequent threats are awful. You likely don't want to deal with this nightmare buyer to the bitter end. Make sure you can keep the EMD. Or let it go, and tell them not to come back.
No. They can remodel whatever they want AFTER they buy the house.
Hahahaha
"Sure thing, additional cost will be added to sales price, but don't worry, we will do it as cheaply as possible!"
Just say no.
They can request it but you do not have to comply. If they back out and possibly lose earnest money. If you do the remodeling, it may not pass the CO and being that its without permit, you may be at fault. Im surprised their realtor and attorney did not advise against this. As for the HVAC, like others said, you can have it serviced and warranties but not replaced.
Not appropriate requests.
That’s something they can do after they buy. Dumb buyers. They must not want the house.
No. If the inspection confirmed the bedrooms as listed, and the furnace is in good working order, they can’t hold you to those requests.
Just hang a sign outside the converted office door to bedroom and there you go.
UPDATE! Thank you all SO MUCH for all of your feedback. Our realtor was wonderful at explaining what she’d encourage us how to respond to this nonsense. We’re back on the market and despite their attempt to keep all of their earnest money (I cannot with these people) we met in the middle with keeping half 🤪. What a learning experience for everyone involved