Inspection contingency clause in listings

[James McGovern]

In a sellers market I was strong in saying that inspections were for education purposes only. Now that the market is shifting I have been willing to entertain major issues and a few minor one. I have seen an uptick in inspection reports listing items that are not code violations and an abundance of them to impress homeowners with their thoroughness 

how do I signal to buyers that they shouldn't expect any negotiation on reports that contain a dump of minor items

[Marc Winter]

Educate and communicate with the buyers before showing any property.  Let them know that issues concerning code violations are of concern; cosmetic issues are not.  Cosmetic concerns will be reflected in the offer price. 

Example: worn or slightly cracked tiles in a kitchen will be obvious to a buyer during a showing.  If an inspector lists it, I'd consider it a cosmetic defect.  

The seller normally will not negotiate on that item because it was obvious to the buyer before the offer was made. 

So my rule of thumb: if a code-related item slips past detection during showing (before the offer is made) and is later listed by an inspector after acceptance, it certainly should be addressed.