What Inspection Repairs Are Required?


Some repairs are required when selling and some are not.

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If you’re considering selling your home, you may have a few questions about inspections. Will you have to fix every little thing that’s found? What are the most common home inspection repairs? Well, inspection repairs fall into three categories:

Lender-required repairs. These fixes come up during the appraisal, and are required by the lender before they grant a loan to the buyers Generally, they’re structural defects, building code violations, or safety issues. These may be in the attic, crawlspace, chimney, furnace, and more.

The appraiser will verify whether there’s a presence of termites or dry rot. They’ll also check the septic system, roof, electrical system, plumbing lines, and HVAC system. Often, if these issues are found, you’re responsible for mending them. Begin by getting bids from contractors to see how much the work will cost, or maybe offer a credit to the buyers to fix them themselves, depending on their loan type. This may be preferable since you won’t have to oversee the process.

If you sold your house and were able to avoid lender-required repairs, leave a comment below. I’d love to hear how that worked out.

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There’s a bit of a gray area between the repairs that are required and those that are not.

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Repairs not required. These come from an inspection and may be cosmetic issues or normal wear and tear and usually don’t have to be fixed. These may include staining the deck, unneeded extra renovations, a loose light fixture, etc. Be sure to check with your local ordinances to know what repairs fall under your responsibility. Your real estate agent can help you with that.

Negotiable repairs. There’s a bit of a gray area between the repairs that are required and those that are not. How these are handled depends on what type of market you’re in at the time. If you’re in a hot seller’s market, you have more power as a seller to call the shots. Buyers will always be advised to have a home inspection done so they know exactly what they’re buying.

Work with your agent to understand which items you should get resolved, and where you may be able to push back during negotiations. It’s in your best interest to accommodate some repairs rather than letting the buyer walk away. Also, depending on the magnitude of expected fixes, it’s not likely the problem will disappear. You’ll have to disclose the issue to the next buyer.

Home inspections turn up all sorts of issues, but all can be resolved to the liking of both parties.

If you know someone who could benefit from this message, feel free to share it with them. Please leave a comment if you would like me to send you the two effective ways to negotiate home fixes. Reach out via phone or email if you have any questions about home inspections or concerning real estate in general. I would love to help you.

Charlotte Volsch

What’s the right way to handle an inherited property—renovate, list, or sell it as-is? I am Charlotte Volsch, an Estate Property Advisor and Probate & Trust Real Estate Specialist helping attorneys, executors, and families make clear, confident decisions when selling inherited homes. I help attorneys, executors, and families navigate inherited property decisions throughout the Inland Empire and High Desert of Southern California, including Apple Valley, Victorville, Hesperia, Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands, Loma Linda, Fontana, and surrounding communities. Over the course of my career, I have completed 774+ real estate transactions across 24 years, including more than 230 probate and trust property sales. For the past 16+ years, I have focused specifically on estate property situations, working alongside probate and trust attorneys, fiduciaries, and their clients to guide each case from evaluation through sale. Many families are unsure what to do with an inherited home—whether to invest in repairs, list it traditionally, or sell it as-is. Without a clear strategy, estates can make costly mistakes such as over-improving a property, underpricing it, selecting the wrong sale method, or facing delays that impact timelines and estate objectives. I help evaluate those decisions early, so attorneys and their clients can move forward with clarity, avoid unnecessary risk, and choose the most appropriate path based on the property and the situation. I work directly with attorneys and their clients to determine the best path forward, whether that involves preparing a property for the retail market or facilitating a direct sale through a network of qualified investors. For properties that require repairs, may not qualify for traditional financing, or are best suited for as-is sale, I provide access to a network of more than 50 active real estate investors. Over the past 12 months, I have closed 68 transactions, reflecting consistent production and experience navigating changing market conditions. I guide each case using the C.A.L.M. Method: C — Clarify We identify what matters now versus what can wait. A — Align We define priorities—legal, financial, and personal. L — Lead I guide each step in the proper order to avoid delays and unnecessary complications. M — Move Forward Clients proceed with clarity and confidence. I am the Broker Owner of The Volsch Team at Volsch Enterprises, Inc., and hold certifications in Probate Real Estate through the National Association of Realtors (NAR) as well as Certified Probate Real Estate Advisor (Probate Biz). If you are an attorney handling probate or trust matters—or assisting a client with an inherited property—I’m available as a resource to help evaluate the best path forward.