What Would Make You Walk Away From a House? Write Your Non-Negotiables First
Write your deal-breakers down before you tour homes. Decide how much you can spend on repairs out of pocket, who you want doing the work, how long you can wait, and which problems are a hard pass. Then sort each item into walk, worry or OK, and share the list with your agent before you make an offer.
You find the house. Right neighborhood, great backyard, and you can already picture where the couch goes. You make an offer, it's accepted, and a few days later the inspection report comes in with a long list of findings.
Now you have to decide what you can live with, and you have to decide fast. Imagine if you had been able to pre-plan some of those decisions?
To help with that we made a digital download.
Why should you decide your deal-breakers before you tour homes?
Once you're attached to a house, every finding gets filtered through how much you want it. A roof near the end of its life starts to feel manageable. A crack in the foundation wall starts to sound like something you'll deal with later.
Deciding ahead of time keeps your budget and your goals in charge of the decision. You set the rules while you can still think about houses objectively, then you use those rules on every home.
What happens when you decide after the inspection?
You're working inside a contingency window, and those windows tend to be short. You're reading a report full of unfamiliar terms, trying to get contractor opinions, and talking strategy with your agent, all at the same time. Without a plan, it's easy to swing too far in either direction. Some buyers walk from a good house over fixable items. Others talk themselves into a repair bill their savings can't absorb.
A long list of findings on its own doesn't mean you should walk away. It depends on what the findings are and what you're willing to take on. Your agent and inspector can explain the findings, but only you know how much risk, work and expense fits your life.
What four questions decide whether a repair is a deal-breaker?
Every maintenance item, repair and defect can be fixed, even structural problems. Whether you want to take it on usually comes down to four questions:
How much? What can you afford to spend on repairs out of pocket?
Who pays? How much are you willing to pay yourself, and how much do you expect to negotiate?
Who does it? Do you want the seller handling repairs, or do you want to hire your own contractor and control the work?
How long? Can you delay closing for repairs? Do you need the home move-in ready, or are you OK fixing things after closing?
Answer those four, and most findings get easier to sort.
How do you sort findings into walk, worry or OK?
Rate each scenario with one of three answers:
Walk means it's a hard pass.
Worry means it needs evaluation and a conversation.
OK means you can live with it.
Then run through the scenarios that come up most often. Can you afford a new roof in the next year? A new furnace or air conditioner? Is foundation work a hard pass, and does a foundation that's already been repaired feel different? If your inspector notes suspected mold, would you want it tested? How about termite damage, or a problem with the sewer line running to the street?
Be specific in your answers. A number, a timeline or a named project gives you something to check each finding against when the report comes in.
There are no wrong answers here. Two buyers can look at the same finding and land in different places, and both can be right for their budget.
What's in the Non-Negotiables Worksheet?
I built this worksheet from the questions I see buyers struggle with after the report comes in. It walks you through:
The four questions: how much, who pays, who does it and how long, with space for your dollar limits
More than a dozen walk, worry or OK prompts covering repair budgets, timelines, roof and HVAC replacement, foundation, mold, termites and sewer lines
Questions about the savings you want left after closing, which projects you'd handle yourself and how much control you want over repairs
A final "My Walk Away List" with five things that would make you walk for sure and five that would need more evaluation
It takes one sitting with anyone you're buying with. Fill it out before your first showing, share it with your agent, and keep it handy when the inspection report arrives.
The worksheet helps you organize your priorities. Your agent guides negotiation strategy, and qualified pros evaluate the findings themselves.
Frequently asked questions
Should I walk away if my inspection report has a lot of findings?
Not automatically. The number of findings matters less than what they are, what they cost to address and whether they fit your budget and timeline. Talk through the major items with your agent and inspector before deciding.
Should I fill out the worksheet alone?
Sit down with anyone you're buying with, and then talk through the answers with your real estate agent. Couples often find they rank the same items differently, and it's better to learn that before an offer.
Can my answers change during the search?
Yes. Your list is a starting point. If your budget, timeline or plans change, update it so it still reflects what you'll accept.
Ready to write your list?
Get the Non-Negotiables Worksheet on Etsy and fill it out before your first showing.
Find free maintenance planning tools on our Resources & Downloads page.
Buying in the St. Louis area? Schedule your home inspection with Tech Inspect Home Services.
