After the Home Inspection: Repairs, Negotiations, and What Happens Next for BC Sellers

You have accepted an offer, the buyer's home inspection is booked, and then the report arrives with a list of findings. For many sellers in Greater Victoria, this is the most stressful moment in the entire sale, but it does not have to be. The inspection report is information, not a repair order, and what happens next is a straightforward negotiation that most deals navigate without drama.

This guide explains where you are in the process when the report lands, the three ways to respond to a repair request, how to keep the deal moving, and when it is reasonable to say no. It is general information to help you plan, not legal advice, and your REALTOR® is the person who will guide the specifics of your transaction.

Where you are in the process

Most offers in BC are made subject to conditions, and one of the most common is a home inspection. The buyer has a set number of days, often five to ten business days, to arrange and attend an inspection, review the report, and decide whether they are satisfied. That decision happens in writing, and it is called removing the condition or waiving it.

Until that condition is removed, the deal is not final. The buyer can walk away if the inspection genuinely does not satisfy them, and the deposit would be returned. Once the condition is removed, the contract becomes binding and firm, and the sale proceeds toward closing. This is why the inspection period is the moment when issues get negotiated, not after closing.

The report is information, not a repair order

It helps to remember that a home inspection is a visual, non-invasive look at the property, and the report lists observations, not demands. Every home, including a well-maintained one, will produce a report with items on it, from minor maintenance notes to more serious concerns. A buyer can request that the seller address some of those items, but there is no legal obligation to say yes to everything, or to anything at all.

In practice, both sides usually want the same thing: a fair agreement that lets the deal close. Serious buyers rarely walk away over a list of minor items, and reasonable sellers rarely refuse every request. The negotiation is about finding the middle.

The three ways to respond to a repair request

• Do the repairs. If the items are straightforward and you want the deal to move quickly, completing the work before closing is often the cleanest response. A repaired roof leak or replaced furnace is a point in the buyer's favour and avoids money passing hands back and forth.
• Offer a credit or price adjustment. For larger items, many sellers prefer to reduce the price or provide a credit at closing rather than organize contractors and inspections. This gives the buyer money to arrange the work themselves, and it keeps the seller out of the middle of the job.
• Decline, with a clear reason. A seller can refuse a request, and sometimes that is the right call. The skill is in how you refuse: with a clear, calm explanation, and often a counterproposal, rather than a flat no.

Most negotiations use a combination of these. A seller might fix the safety items, offer a credit for the roof, and decline the cosmetic requests. The key is to respond within the subject-removal timeline, because silence while the clock runs can look like bad faith and can cost you the deal.

How to read the buyer's request

Not every line of an inspection report deserves equal attention, and experienced REALTORS® know how to sort them. Separate the findings into three rough buckets:

• Safety and structural issues. Anything affecting the roof, foundation, electrical, heating, or water should be taken seriously. These are the items a buyer is most entitled to push on, and addressing them is usually the difference between a smooth close and a collapsed deal.
• Normal maintenance. Items like an aging water heater that still works or worn window seals are part of owning an older home. Buyers often raise them, and sellers often decline them or split the difference. This is where most negotiation happens.
• Cosmetic preferences. A cracked tile, a dated light switch, or a scuffed wall is not an inspection finding in the safety sense. Sellers are rarely expected to fix these, though a small concession can buy goodwill.

A buyer who asks for a new roof because a report flagged three curling shingles has overreached. A seller who refuses to fix a cracked heat exchanger that could fail tomorrow is risking the whole deal. Reading the request with this lens keeps the negotiation fair.

Get real numbers before you respond

One of the best things you can do when a buyer requests a substantial repair is to get a contractor's quote before you answer. A $4,000 estimate for a roofing repair is a very different conversation than a $20,000 replacement, and a written quote turns a vague fear into a concrete number. Your REALTOR® can help you decide whether the quote justifies doing the work, offering a credit, or declining.

It is also worth remembering why most sellers ordered their own pre-listing inspection in the first place. If you already know your home's condition, the buyer's report will rarely be a surprise, and you will have had time to price and plan around it. Our guide to pre-listing home inspections explains the case for doing one before you list.

When it is reasonable to say no

Sellers sometimes worry that refusing anything will kill the deal, but that is rarely true. Buyers who have already invested in an inspection and an offer are usually motivated to close. A calm, reasonable decline on a marginal item, paired with a concession on something meaningful, keeps the relationship intact.

There are also situations where a buyer's request is simply unreasonable, such as demanding that the seller replace all windows because one sash is drafty, or renegotiating the price over an item that was already disclosed in the Property Disclosure Statement. Your REALTOR® should have the judgment to tell you when a request is worth accommodating and when a firm response is the professional move. If the two sides genuinely cannot agree, the buyer's choices are to proceed as-is or walk away, and sometimes letting a buyer exercise that choice is the right outcome.

Keep the deal moving

The single most important practical tip is to treat the inspection period as a deadline, not an open door. Respond promptly to requests, communicate through your REALTOR® clearly, and put any agreement in writing as an amendment to the contract before the condition is removed. Oral understandings have a way of fading; a signed amendment is what protects you both.

If you are doing repairs, keep the receipts and, where useful, a record of the work, because the buyer may ask for them. If you are offering a credit, make sure the exact amount and how it is applied at closing are written down. Small paperwork habits are what turn a stressful negotiation into a quiet, successful close.

Frequently asked questions

Does a seller have to fix everything the home inspection finds?

No. The inspection report is information, and the buyer and seller negotiate what, if anything, will be addressed. Many sellers fix genuine safety issues, offer a credit for larger items, and decline cosmetic or maintenance requests. What matters is reaching a written agreement before the inspection condition is removed.

What happens if the buyer asks for repairs and I refuse?

The buyer can accept the home as-is and remove the condition, or they can walk away if the inspection findings genuinely do not satisfy them. A calm, reasonable response with a clear reason, and often a counterproposal, keeps the door open. Your REALTOR® can help you judge when to hold your ground and when to give a little.

Can the buyer back out after the inspection?

During the subject period, a buyer can end the deal if the inspection findings genuinely do not satisfy them, and the deposit is returned. Once the condition is removed in writing, the contract is firm, and backing out after that would be a breach of contract. That is why the inspection period is the time for negotiation.

Is it better to fix the issue or offer a credit?

It depends on the item and your timeline. Small, straightforward fixes are often easiest to complete yourself. Larger items, like a roof or a heating system, are often better handled as a credit so the buyer arranges the work and you avoid managing a contractor mid-sale. Your REALTOR® and a contractor's quote will help you decide.

Should I have ordered my own inspection before listing?

A pre-listing inspection has real advantages: you learn the condition of your home before you price it, you can address issues on your own timeline, and you are rarely surprised by the buyer's report. It is not right for every sale, but for a long-time family home it is often worth considering. Our guide to pre-listing inspections walks through when it helps.