Client Resource Center
Home Buying Resources
Guidance and checklists to help you feel prepared and confident at every step of your purchase.
Inspection and negotiating
The inspection is your chance to really get to know the house. We use what we learn to decide what's worth asking for, and what's just part of owning a home.
Inspection day
Making the most of it
- Plan to be there for the last hour
- Ask questions and take your own notes and photos
- Find the main water shut-off and electrical panel
- Ask how old the big systems are and what to budget for
- Remember: every house has a list, even new ones
Worth considering
Extra inspections
- Radon test (common in Illinois)
- Sewer line scope for older homes
- Well and septic inspection, if the home has them
- Chimney inspection, if there's a fireplace you'll use
- Pest or termite inspection
After the report
What we can ask for
Inspection requests should focus on major systems, structure, and health and safety, not cosmetic items or normal wear. Asking for the right things keeps the deal strong.
Repairs
The seller fixes the issue before closing. Best for safety items and things that need a licensed pro.
Credit
The seller gives you money toward closing costs so you can make the repair yourself, your way.
Price change
We lower the price to reflect bigger issues. This can lower your loan amount, too.
The appraisal
If the appraisal comes in low
If you're getting a loan, your lender will order an appraisal to confirm the home's value. If it comes in under the purchase price, we have options: renegotiate the price, cover the gap, split the difference, or in some cases walk away. I'll help you weigh each one.
No house is perfect. The goal is no surprises, and a fair deal on the things that really matter.
While you're doing this
What I'm doing behind the scenes
- Scheduling inspections and meeting inspectors
- Reviewing the report with you, line by line
- Getting repair quotes when we need real numbers
- Negotiating repairs and credits with the seller's agent
- Keeping your attorney and lender in the loop