I’m under contract to buy a $930k home in Utah directly from the owners (no agents involved). The home is about 20 years old.
The sellers previously had the home appraised for $990k, which is one of the reasons I felt comfortable agreeing to the price.
The house was listed at $935k. During negotiations I agreed to increase my offer to $930k so the sellers could net the amount they wanted. They also agreed to a $5k closing cost credit. Since I’m not using a buyer’s agent, they’re also avoiding paying a buyer’s agent commission.
After the inspection, the biggest issue was the roof.
The sellers told me they had recently spent about $2,000 repairing it, and their roofing contractor said those repairs should extend its life another five years.
My home inspector disagreed and said the roof was at or near the end of its expected life.
Rather than argue over one opinion versus another, I hired two independent roofing contractors. Both came back with essentially the same conclusion as my inspector:
Roof is at or near the end of its useful life.
Numerous patched areas.
Significant shingle wear.
Replacement recommended.
One contractor estimated it may have another year or two, but the risk of leaks is increasing.
The sellers’ position is that they’ll replace one water heater, buy a one-year home warranty, and repair anything that’s currently broken or unsafe. They won’t offer any concession for components that are simply near the end of their service life because they believe that was already reflected in the purchase price.
My issue is that nothing in the listing or disclosures indicated the roof was at the end of its life. If I had known that before making my offer, I absolutely would have offered less.
At this point I’m asking them to replace the roof before closing (capped at $25k with any licensed contractor using comparable materials), though I’m open to another solution that addresses the same concern.
If they refuse, I’m leaning toward walking away.
Am I being unreasonable here, or is it fair to expect some accommodation after getting three separate professional opinions recommending roof replacement?
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/RealEstate/comments/1ui4q3i/would_you_walk_away_from_this_deal/
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