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The repairs you are talking about are trivial. Yes it would be nice to get a new stove and showerhead, but really, these items are not that expensive nor are they safety issues. Simply ask for $500 in concessions and even if they counter at $100 accept it.
"the biggest problem being that the gas-range and oven don't work properly (two burners don't light, digital clock/temp gauge display doesn't work, broiler doesn't work)...the oven is 20+ years old"
Really, you were not going to replace a 20 year old stove, and this is the sticking point in your negotiations?
I agree with the previous posters, and would encourage you to take a step back and consider your options.
You agreed buy a 20 + year old home, and knew from looking at the appliances that they were not new.
Your inspection shows that 2 burners, broiler and temperature read are not working, and you want a brand new stove.
You feel that it doesn't work well enough and want a new stove (or money to buy new)
From the sellers perspective, they are selling a 20+ year old home with a 20 + year old stove, at a price that reflects the age of the home and stove, and are balking at buying you a new stove.
They (or their renters) used this house with this stove for 20 + years, didn't update it and sold it at a price reflecting no new appliances.
So, they are going to try to fix it before getting you a new one.
I would take all the emotion out of it, and take the advice offered previously. Ask for $1k, settle for $500 and buy a new stove. Make it enticing enough so they say "screw it" and give you the $500 before setting up multiple oven repairmen appointments.
I will also say that many of my elderly and not so elderly relatives would spend an inordinate
amount of time laboring over what repairman to call, reading reviews, wanting to talk personally to them versus email, so I can see how this would happen.
I personally would just use the other 2 burners for awhile but that's just me as a non-cook and non-Broiler.
^^ I'm sorry, I meant ask for $500 and settle for a couple hundred. I think $1k is way to much to ask for and have a feeling you may have asked for too much, hence the hesitation of the sellers and response to look into repairs
Big picture wise is the home a good value? Or are you over paying on it? If it's a good value buy it and go to Lowe's tomorrow and buy a new range. I'm always amazed buying such an expensive piece of property people get all wound up over a rounding error. This is why there are Realtors...to keep sanity in the process!! I don't know what price point you're at but this isn't a buyers market.
Big picture wise is the home a good value? Or are you over paying on it? If it's a good value buy it and go to Lowe's tomorrow and buy a new range. I'm always amazed buying such an expensive piece of property people get all wound up over a rounding error. This is why there are Realtors...to keep sanity in the process!! I don't know what price point you're at but this isn't a buyers market.
This is for a condo in the $110k price range (that is what it appraised for and actually what we negotiated to after a list price of $115k). It's in the prefect location for me right now and no I didn't plan on backing out if the sellers didn't give any concessions. I am more frustrated by the principle of them taking so long to respond to things in general and their "it may take us a couple of days to get a quote" stance when they know DD is almost up.
My realtor completely agreed and even encouraged me to ask for the extra closing cost concession when taking the stove and some other issues into account. There are plenty of little things that if I were really nitpicky I could gripe about but just that one thing stood out as worthy of asking for some closing costs.
What seem like "trivial" things to some folks on here pulling six figure salaries and buying brand new $400k+ homes are a much bigger impact on someone with my income and housing budget. It also doesn't help that I totaled my car two weeks ago and while my insurance covered what I owe and then some; I still have to purchase a new car right now at the same time as I'm purchasing a home so yeah I'm going to try what I can to ease that financial stress.
In the end this is now all a moot point; the sellers agent contacted my agent this afternoon and put up the seller's offer of $500 in concessions and I took it. I appreciate the positive feedback and advice I've gotten from some of you and for those who were in the "wtf why are you being so picky" category; I get it and see that from where you are looking at it would appear that way. It's all a matter of perspective I guess.
This is for a condo in the $110k price range (that is what it appraised for and actually what we negotiated to after a list price of $115k). It's in the prefect location for me right now and no I didn't plan on backing out if the sellers didn't give any concessions. I am more frustrated by the principle of them taking so long to respond to things in general and their "it may take us a couple of days to get a quote" stance when they know DD is almost up.
My realtor completely agreed and even encouraged me to ask for the extra closing cost concession when taking the stove and some other issues into account. There are plenty of little things that if I were really nitpicky I could gripe about but just that one thing stood out as worthy of asking for some closing costs.
What seem like "trivial" things to some folks on here pulling six figure salaries and buying brand new $400k+ homes are a much bigger impact on someone with my income and housing budget. It also doesn't help that I totaled my car two weeks ago and while my insurance covered what I owe and then some; I still have to purchase a new car right now at the same time as I'm purchasing a home so yeah I'm going to try what I can to ease that financial stress.
In the end this is now all a moot point; the sellers agent contacted my agent this afternoon and put up the seller's offer of $500 in concessions and I took it. I appreciate the positive feedback and advice I've gotten from some of you and for those who were in the "wtf why are you being so picky" category; I get it and see that from where you are looking at it would appear that way. It's all a matter of perspective I guess.
One very important piece of advice, Nick. As you are in the unfortunate position of having to buy a car at the same time you are buying a home, make sure if you plan on getting a car loan that it does not negatively affect you getting the mortgage. Any change like that from when you signed the initial paperwork would need to be disclosed, as they WILL review your credit again before closing.
Be very careful with this, my friend. Even if you have to borrow a car from a relative until after the closing.
One very important piece of advice, Nick. As you are in the unfortunate position of having to buy a car at the same time you are buying a home, make sure if you plan on getting a car loan that it does not negatively affect you getting the mortgage. Any change like that from when you signed the initial paperwork would need to be disclosed, as they WILL review your credit again before closing.
Be very careful with this, my friend. Even if you have to borrow a car from a relative until after the closing.
Oh I'm definitely painfully aware of how buying a car can throw my credit for a loop while applying for a mortgage. I have decided to wait to buy a car until after closing; probably a couple months after closing actually...to avoid a ridiculous interest rate on the auto-loan. My insurance has covered a rental car until the end of June and I will borrow my dad's old truck for a while until my finances are in order (and I get a little more of a downpayment on a new car...will only get 1500 over what I owe on my old car from my insurance; and I'm fortunate to get that)....hence my trying to get any concessions I can on this home-purchase to bring a little less cash to the table on closing day (while not talking away from the downpayment on the house)
The loan officer told me pretty much point blank to not replace my car until after the mortgage has gone through and that seems like sound advice.
One very important piece of advice, Nick. As you are in the unfortunate position of having to buy a car at the same time you are buying a home, make sure if you plan on getting a car loan that it does not negatively affect you getting the mortgage. Any change like that from when you signed the initial paperwork would need to be disclosed, as they WILL review your credit again before closing.
Be very careful with this, my friend. Even if you have to borrow a car from a relative until after the closing.
This.....x10000!! Even making large purchases on a credit card can impact your credit rating thus loan approval, especially if your financial ratios are running tight already.
Oh I'm definitely painfully aware of how buying a car can throw my credit for a loop while applying for a mortgage. I have decided to wait to buy a car until after closing; probably a couple months after closing actually...to avoid a ridiculous interest rate on the auto-loan. My insurance has covered a rental car until the end of June and I will borrow my dad's old truck for a while until my finances are in order (and I get a little more of a downpayment on a new car...will only get 1500 over what I owe on my old car from my insurance; and I'm fortunate to get that)....hence my trying to get any concessions I can on this home-purchase to bring a little less cash to the table on closing day (while not talking away from the downpayment on the house)
The loan officer told me pretty much point blank to not replace my car until after the mortgage has gone through and that seems like sound advice.
Excellent. Glad to hear you have that all arranged and glad you got an extra $500 out of the house deal. Good for you for doing it right.
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