New to Real Estate · Sault Sainte Marie, MI · Member since 2022 · 6 posts · 4 votes
Hello all, so I’m in the upper peninsula of Michigan, and we’ve had our offer accepted on a duplex! It’s our first rental investment property. We just had our inspection done, and there are some things that need to be addressed, for one, there is ongoing water intrusion due to no roof flashing, or chimney flashing still existing. I’m unsure how to move forward and how much to ask for a reduction in price if that’s the route we go. I got a quote for roof repair, but of course we are on a time crunch due to the contract, and as always you never know how much more damage they find when they open things up. So am I expected to only ask for a reduction in price to replace the roof and then later find out it’s double that maybe. Or is it normal to ask for quite a bit more off due to the potential effects of the water damage. I’m not scared away by the water and the structure appears sound and safe.
Long story short we got our inspection back on the property we have under contract and are curious how much concessions or in what way we could ask for concessions due to the nature of the findings.
With an inspection, if it was something that was known to the seller, they may have priced the home accordingly (eg older roof, price lowered to cover cost of new roof). Find out what it would cost to get fixed and ask for that price as either cash back at closing (if that is allowed) or taken off the purchase price.
Residential Real Estate Broker · Grandville, MI · Member since 2016 · 109 posts · 78 votes
2y
Negotiations during the due diligence period can be a tricky ordeal. If there were competing offers you could risk losing the property if you ask for changes depending on how the contract was written. Assuming it's just you and the seller and no other pressure or competing bids then you have an advantage since you have something the seller wants (money) and he can't get it unless you give the okay to move forward.
In Real Estate, if a seller is aware of an issue with his home, he needs to disclose that to future potential buyers. If you discovered something he wasn't aware of and inform him of it, it becomes part of the disclosure process going forward now. So, even if he won't fix it for you, other buyers are going to have the same issue with it so he knows he'll have to either address it with you or someone else. He doesn't have a choice.
Basically you need to decide what is fair and form a plan. Inform him of the issue and decide what needs to happen in order for you to proceed to closing. Give him a path to the finish line. (i.e. 50/50 on the repair or drop the price or whatever). You can exchange ideas with your agent and have him work something out with the other side through conversations but once you all agree on a plan you MUST GET IT IN WRITING so everyone is legally bound and your EMD and interest are protected. An addendum to the agreement is a common tactic for this that everyone signs
If I was the agent here, I'd advise my client to just ask for the repair to be completed to 100% satisfaction and see what they come back with. If they agree, then done. If not, then they'd need to come up with a plan we'd be happy with like: Have us get 2 estimates and get a credit at close equal to the lowest one or something. If they 100% refuse to deal and its take it/leave it, then you need to decide if you're willing to buy the house with that issue. If not, then you walk and find a more reasonable seller.