Residential real estate sales is a business in which most transactions are emotionally charged. Usually both the Buyer and Seller are a little scared about making a move into a new home and are stressed about trying to coordinate a sale with a purchase while dealing with the logistics of moving, cleaning both homes, getting rid of all the junk that has accumulated over the years, transferring utilities, maybe relocating children to another school, and more all while dealing with all the normal things that life includes (e.g. work, church, social events, recreation, personal time etc). Couple this with all of the different personalities involved in a typical transaction; the clients, the Realtors, the appraisers, the lenders, the title companies, the termite inspectors, the home inspectors, plus all the friends and family members who want to be included and we have a pot that's often times ready to boil!

I have found over the years that the most tense time of a home sale is the home inspection period. Here's why. On the one side we have a Seller who loves the home and is only moving because they have outgrown it or they are forced to move for some other reason. Usually they are proud of the home and have taken great care of it, they're emotionally attached to the home, PLUS they are dealing with many of the stresses mentioned above. On the other side of the transaction we have Buyers who are nervous about the process in general, they're relying on others (e.g. Realtors) to assist them with the biggest purchase of their lives, they're afraid of making serious mistakes PLUS they too are dealing with many of the same stresses mentioned above. Whew!

Now here comes the home inspector. His or her job is to turn the house inside out on behalf of the Buyer to find any problems with it. This is the same home which the Seller is crazy about and has enjoyed immensely for upteen years. The Seller has long ago "gotten used to" any leaky faucets, running toilets, or other miscelaneous problems. Heck, the Seller doesn't even know that any problems exist and consequently can get a tad defensive. On the other hand an already scared Buyer may over react to problems which are very minor and typical of homes of that age or era. Perfect homes are EXTREMELY few and far between. In fact in my seven years of doing this I have only come across one perfect home; mine. OK you get the point, things can get squirrelly.

The answer is to keep cool. Remember this is a business transaction. A Buyer can ask for whatever repair he or she wants. The Seller can respond however he or she wants. A reasonable compromise is right around the corner but you have to stay calm. Getting emotional only contributes to more problems and miscommunication and could ultimately jeopardize the deal and for what; a couple hundred dollars of handy man repairs?

Will Daly

Will Daly has been a residential real estate agent in Phoenix Arizona for nine years. He specializes in High Rise Condos, Lofts, Row Houses, Brownstones, and Condo Conversions.