A home inspection can turn an exciting accepted offer into a long list of questions. The report may identify a furnace near the end of its life, a leaking roof flashing detail, aging electrical components, or smaller maintenance items throughout the house. Knowing how to request repairs means separating the issues that affect safety, function, and future cost from items that are simply part of owning a pre-owned home.
For buyers in Metro Detroit, a smart repair request protects the purchase without creating unnecessary friction. The goal is not to make a house perfect. It is to make sure you understand its condition, negotiate fairly, and avoid taking on a major surprise immediately after closing.
Start With the Inspection Contingency and Timeline
Your purchase agreement should spell out the inspection period and your options once inspections are complete. In most transactions, the clock matters. You may have only a limited number of days to complete inspections, review findings, prepare a request, and reach an agreement with the seller.
Do not wait until the final day to decide what matters. Read the inspection report closely, then speak with your agent and, when needed, qualified contractors. An inspector identifies visible conditions and likely concerns, but a licensed electrician, roofer, HVAC technician, or plumber may be needed to confirm the scope and expected cost of a significant issue.
A repair request is a negotiation document, not an inspection report forwarded without context. The report can be lengthy because inspectors are thorough. That does not mean every notation belongs in a request to the seller.
How to Request Repairs Without Weakening Your Position
A focused, well-supported request is usually more effective than a broad demand for every item noted during the inspection. Sellers are more likely to engage constructively when they can see that the buyer is being reasonable and specific.
Prioritize health, safety, and major systems
Begin with conditions that could create a safety concern, prevent normal use of the home, or lead to a substantial expense shortly after closing. Examples may include an active roof leak, a furnace that does not operate properly, an unsafe electrical panel issue, a plumbing leak, mold-like conditions that require further evaluation, or foundation movement that warrants a specialist’s opinion.
Also consider items that affect financing or insurance. Certain loan programs and insurance carriers may require repairs before closing when there are concerns involving exposed wiring, peeling paint on applicable properties, a damaged roof, missing handrails, or inoperable systems. The right approach depends on your financing, the property type, and the severity of the issue.
Cosmetic imperfections, minor wear, and clearly visible conditions are different. Scuffed flooring, an older but functional appliance, worn caulk, loose cabinet hardware, or a dated bathroom may be worth noting for your future plans, but they are not always strong negotiating points. If the home was priced with its condition in mind, asking for every small improvement can distract from the issues that truly matter.
Ask for a clear outcome
Vague requests create avoidable problems. Instead of asking the seller to address the roof, identify the concern and the desired result. For example, request that an active leak at a specified area be evaluated and repaired by a licensed roofing contractor, with paid invoice and transferable warranty information provided before closing if available.
Specificity protects both sides. It gives the seller a workable path forward and gives the buyer a way to verify what was completed. If a repair is technical or potentially expensive, obtain an estimate or contractor evaluation before making the request whenever time allows.
Consider a credit instead of seller-completed repairs
A seller credit can be the better solution when the work is specialized, when you want to choose the contractor, or when the seller may be tempted to select the lowest-cost repair. A credit may also reduce scheduling complications before closing.
There are limits. Your lender must approve any credit, and the amount may be capped by loan guidelines and closing-cost rules. Credits generally help with eligible closing expenses, not unrestricted cash after closing. If the estimated repair cost exceeds what your loan permits, you may need to renegotiate price, request a direct repair, bring additional funds, or decide whether the transaction still makes sense.
A price reduction is another option, but it does not lower the cash needed at closing in the same way a credit can. For a buyer with tight closing funds, that distinction matters.
Put the agreement in writing
Verbal assurances do not protect a buyer at closing. Every repair, credit, price adjustment, deadline, and responsibility should be included in a signed written agreement or amendment to the purchase contract.
The document should answer practical questions: Who will complete the work? Must the contractor be licensed? What documentation will be provided? Is a final walk-through or reinspection allowed? What happens if the repair cannot be completed before closing? Clear terms prevent a last-minute disagreement when everyone is trying to finish the transaction.
What Sellers May Say No To
A seller is not required to accept every repair request. In a competitive market, especially for a well-priced home in areas such as Royal Oak, Novi, Birmingham, or West Bloomfield, sellers may have leverage and may decline cosmetic or low-priority items. In other cases, a property may have been priced below comparable move-in-ready homes specifically because it needs work.
That does not mean buyers should ignore serious defects. It means the request should match the deal. Consider the home’s age, list price, competing offers, disclosed condition, and the cost of the concerns. A 1920s Ferndale home will have different expectations from a newer construction in Rochester Hills. Older homes often come with legacy electrical, drainage, insulation, and maintenance considerations that should be evaluated realistically.
If the seller counters, focus on the outcome rather than winning every point. A seller may offer a credit instead of a repair, agree to fix the most urgent item, or decline work while holding firm on price. Your agent should help you assess whether the counteroffer leaves you with an acceptable purchase, not simply push for an agreement at any cost.
Verify Repairs Before Closing
If the seller agrees to make repairs, do not assume the work was completed correctly. Request invoices, receipts, permits when applicable, and contractor details. For meaningful repairs, a reinspection by the original inspector or relevant specialist may be worth the expense. A final walk-through is also essential, but it is not a substitute for a professional evaluation of hidden or technical work.
During the walk-through, confirm that agreed repairs are complete, included fixtures and appliances remain in place, and the property is in substantially the same condition as when you agreed to buy it. Test the repair when possible. Turn on faucets, operate the furnace or air conditioning if seasonally appropriate, check the garage door, and look for signs of new damage caused during the work.
If an agreed repair is incomplete or unsatisfactory, raise the issue before closing. Once closing documents are signed and funds are released, your leverage changes significantly.
Keep the Decision Bigger Than the Repair List
The inspection period is one of the most valuable due-diligence stages in a home purchase. Use it to understand the property, not just to negotiate a concession. Some concerns are manageable with the right credit and a realistic plan. Others may reveal a larger pattern of deferred maintenance that changes the value of the home for you.
A disciplined request, clear documentation, and firm attention to deadlines can keep a repair issue from becoming a closing-day surprise. The right home does not need to be flawless, but the terms need to be honest, workable, and worthy of the investment you are about to make.