Orangeburg sewer line

[Tyler Speelman]

Hey BP!

I have a duplex under contract to sell. The contract says buyer will inspect, but not make seller repair any defects.

Orangeburg sewer line “believed” to have rusted drain at sewer connection at street.

How do you proceed as the seller?

2nd opinion?

Replace to keep the deal alive?

Hesitant to sell if we have a big ticket expense.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[Nadeem Alamgir]

Hey Tyler assuming there's an inspection contingency, even though the contract states the buyer will inspect but not request repairs, they may still try to renegotiate or walk away. It's very common for buyers to get nervous about sewer line issues due to how costly the repairs can get.  

I recommend asking the buyer to complete a sewer scope inspection. A general home inspection won’t go in depth enough to confirm the actual condition of the line. The issue could be minimal, and if so, that’s great. If the inspection reveals a bigger problem, either you can try to keep the deal alive by offering a seller credit, which could motivate the buyer to move forward, or the buyer walks away. 

You'll now have a rough idea of the repair cost and can factor that into pricing or negotiations with the next buyer. Best of luck!