Buying a Home in Comox Valley - what you can and can't negotiate!

Things You Can and Can’t Negotiate When Buying a Home

You probably already know you can negotiate the price of a home when making an offer to purchase. However, there are also a number of things you should not ask a seller for or that may jeopardize the seller accepting your offer. I am going to mention things you might want to negotiate for, and a few you should not bring up.

Appliances or other non-permanent items in the house

Sometimes, sellers will itemize furnishings and personal property they plan to take with them. They will exclude them from the sale. There are also times, if you fall in love with something in the house, you can try to negotiate it into the agreement. Typical things people put into a contract would be appliances, window coverings, a hot tub, pool equipment or wood for the fireplace. Buyers can also ask for things like the pool table, and freezer. There are times when the sellers list other things that may be available.

You might want to skip asking the seller to throw in the antique dining room chandelier or other one-of-a-kind items though. Chances are good the owners will be taking valuables and sentimental items with them when they move.

Closing dates and leasebacks

It’s very common for buyers to negotiate an occupancy date that works for them, regardless of what the home listing says. Some buyers or sellers want a long possession time, others a short possession time. Maybe it would be easier for the sellers if they could rent the property from the buyers temporarily. That may or may not work well for the buyers. However, if you know the sellers need a quick sale because they’re leaving the country, don’t ask for a move-in date six months from now. That might just talk yourself out of the deal.

Cleaning up and clearing out

You may have noticed there is a pile of scrap metal in the backyard. Maybe the basement is crammed with junk. You might want to include in your offer that you expect the property to be cleared out before you take possession.

You can also ask the sellers to have the house professionally cleaned when they leave. If it appears to be clean, it is probably inappropriate to ask this. If there is a lot of junk and mess, it may be a good idea to include something about cleanliness on possession date in your offer.

Minor repairs

Asking for certain cosmetic fixes is often acceptable. Things such as touching up ceiling paint after water damage was repaired or getting the sellers to replace a non-functional doorbell may be acceptable and within reason. So is anything that concerns the safety of the property or some types of issues a home inspector might find.

If there is something you don’t or can’t see that the inspection reveals, it may be worth asking the sellers to have it repaired. This could be a crack in the foundation, something wrong with the gas in the mechanical room, a leaking appliance, a cracked heat exchanger, or a missing hand railing on the set of stairs. These are safety issues.

Such things may or may not be agreeable to a seller and then you have to decide how important it is to you that they be handled by the current owner. Sometimes it is better to do things yourselves so they are done to your satisfaction and not just done to get done.

You can also try to negotiate a discount on the price if you discover the roof is in poor shape. What won’t happen is a complete kitchen or bathroom renovation.

Tap into the experience of your REALTOR®

No matter what you want to negotiate for, run it by your REALTOR® first. Your REALTOR® can help negotiate the price and contract terms on your behalf. She is your No. 1 resource and support during the home buying process.

Your realtor can identify issues, or sticking points, or the temperament of a seller. She can also determine what the seller may be expecting. Your realtor can prepare and negotiate an offer for you with the seller in mind to effect an enforceable contract.

Everyone’s home-buying experience will be different. Your negotiations will be dependent on your personal situation. But, with an expert REALTOR® in your corner, you can trust you’ll be in good hands no matter what.

Get in touch with me if you want to learn more about the negotiation process when buying and selling real estate in Comox!