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Thanks all for the great advice. It seems that requesting repairs for the faucets that need to be replaced (since they may cause water damage due to their leaking), hazardous zinsco electric panel, and shower enclosure leak are pretty reasonable since they were discovered only with inspection and need immediate attention.
A lot of the other stuff is new code violations which were not violations when originally installed or just general wear and tear that was evident during home tour. Here in CA the seller is required to take care of the termite issue (at least that is what we had specified in purchase contract).
Out of curiosity, if you find that an older home has lead paint, would you request a price adjustment? Here in CA it seems any remodeling or repair work where lead paint is involved is 2-3 times as expensive. Thankfully the house tested negative for lead, but just curious what folks would do if they find a house they are purchasing has lead paint.
BTW. aside from the issue with the two faucets and leaky shower enclosure the house is in great shape-- sellers were an older retired couple very diligent about keeping the house maintainted-- albeit some of the items are a little dated. They never used the 2nd bath where the problems were noted (you could tell the faucet had not even been turned on for several months).
Thanks all for the great advice. It seems that requesting repairs for the faucets that need to be replaced (since they may cause water damage due to their leaking), hazardous zinsco electric panel, and shower enclosure leak are pretty reasonable since they were discovered only with inspection and need immediate attention.
A lot of the other stuff is new code violations which were not violations when originally installed or just general wear and tear that was evident during home tour. Here in CA the seller is required to take care of the termite issue (at least that is what we had specified in purchase contract).
Out of curiosity, if you find that an older home has lead paint, would you request a price adjustment? Here in CA it seems any remodeling or repair work where lead paint is involved is 2-3 times as expensive. Thankfully the house tested negative for lead, but just curious what folks would do if they find a house they are purchasing has lead paint.
BTW. aside from the issue with the two faucets and leaky shower enclosure the house is in great shape-- sellers were an older retired couple very diligent about keeping the house maintainted-- albeit some of the items are a little dated. They never used the 2nd bath where the problems were noted (you could tell the faucet had not even been turned on for several months).
I don't think I would buy a house with lead paint because of the difficulty of repairs. That is something that would probably cause me to walk because it is not really easy to fix.
What type of repairs do you all think are considered "fair" to request? I realize the seller does not have to agree to any repairs and that the buyer can ask for the moon, but of the repairs listed below which would be reasonable to request?
My thoughts:
Items I would consider reasonable to request repairs for are items that are revealed during inspection that require IMMEDIATE attention before they can be considered to properly functioning:
1) Leaky kitchen and bath faucet
2) Termite infested or dry-rot on exterior of house
3) Missing GFI for in-ground pool lighting (very critical safety hazard)
4) Shower leaking due to poor sealing between tile and glass enclosure
Repairs I would consider borderline reasonable to request. These are items that are only apparent from inspection, are currently functioning, but are considered a safety or health issue that should eventually be addressed, i.e.:
1) Old Zinsco electric panel-- in working condition but according to inspector is notorious for causing electric fires and needs to be replaced
2) Missing GFI in bath and kitchen
3) Child proof the pool access gate
4) Old fiberglass air ducts should be replaced with metal ones (air quality issue)
Lastly items that are probably outside of the realm to request repair since they should be apparent prior to inspection (i.e. during home tour):
1) Resurface older pool that has visible signs of wear/age
2) Repair/replace deck that is old and worn and in poor condition
3) Straighten uneven cinder block steps leading to a garden
4) Replace older roof nearing end of its life
So what do you all think is reasonable? Items from the top list? Items from the middle or bottom list? Maybe compromising and requesting partial credit for some of the less reasonable repairs? Any thoughts appreciated!
I agree, long list, if your getting a good price on the home only real issue is termites. Someone moving is probably busy and does not want to take on all your little projects. Personally I wouldn't do a single thing for you but the termites, if you walk you walk.
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