What can a Pittsburgh home seller do when a buyer asks for repairs after a home inspection?

After a home inspection in Pennsylvania, a buyer has until the end of the inspection contingency period — typically 10 to 15 days after the Agreement of Sale is signed — to submit a Written Corrective Proposal requesting repairs, a credit, or a price reduction.

As the seller, you can agree, counter with a different offer, or refuse entirely. If you refuse, the buyer can accept the home as-is or terminate and recover their hand money. If the buyer misses their deadline, you are not obligated to negotiate at all.

You accepted an offer. You told your family, and you started looking at your next place. Then the inspection report landed.

It is 42 pages. There are photos of every imperfection in the house you have lived in for 15 years. And now the buyer wants $11,000 in repairs or credits before they will move forward.

Here is what most Pittsburgh sellers do not realize: you have more options than it feels like in that moment. The outcome often comes down to knowing how Pennsylvania’s inspection contingency works — and what the timeline means for your leverage.

How the PA Inspection Contingency Actually Works

Most sellers assume an inspection is a pass/fail event. Either the buyer is happy or they are not.

That is not how it works in Pennsylvania.

Under the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors standard Agreement of Sale, the inspection contingency period is a set number of days — often 10 to 15 days, and sometimes as few as 7 — starting from when both parties sign the agreement.

During that window, the buyer must:

  1. Complete whatever inspections they elected, such as home inspection, radon, sewer lateral, or other inspections.

  2. Make a decision about how to proceed.

The buyer’s options are generally limited to three:

  • Accept the property as-is

  • Terminate the agreement and get their hand money back

  • Submit a Written Corrective Proposal

That third option — the Written Corrective Proposal — is where the negotiation happens. It must be delivered to the seller in writing before the contingency period expires.

If the buyer misses the deadline, they have waived the right to negotiate. The contract moves forward on the current terms.

What Buyers Can Actually Ask For

A Written Corrective Proposal can request one or more of the following:

  • Specific repairs: The buyer asks you to have licensed contractors fix certain items before closing.

  • A closing credit: The buyer asks for a dollar amount applied to their costs at closing instead of repairs.

  • A price reduction: The buyer asks for a lower purchase price to reflect the issues found.

Buyers can mix and match these requests.

For example, they may ask you to fix roof flashing, credit $2,500 for an outdated electrical panel, and accept a stair railing as-is.

These are opening positions, not automatic demands.

Your Three Options as a Seller

When a Written Corrective Proposal arrives, you generally have three responses available.

1. Agree to the Request

You can accept the repairs, credit, or price reduction exactly as requested.

If you agree to make repairs, be specific about what you are committing to. Clarify whether a licensed contractor will complete the work, whether permits are required, and whether the repairs must be finished before settlement.

2. Counter-Propose

This is the most common path.

You do not have to say yes or no to the entire list. You can agree to some items, decline others, and offer alternatives.

For example, you may offer a $1,500 closing credit instead of completing $3,000 in requested repairs.

A counter-proposal keeps the deal alive while helping you control cost and risk.

3. Refuse Entirely

You can decline every request.

That does not always end the negotiation, but it can. If you refuse and the buyer is not willing to proceed as-is, the buyer may terminate within the contingency period and recover their hand money deposit.

What you cannot do is delay. Pennsylvania’s Agreement of Sale typically gives the seller a short response window after receiving a Written Corrective Proposal. Your agent will identify the exact deadline in your contract.

The Lender Problem Most Sellers Do Not Anticipate

Repair negotiations can become more complicated when the buyer’s lender gets involved.

For many cosmetic or minor issues — such as a dated bathroom, worn carpet, or older finishes — the lender may not care. The buyer can handle those items after closing.

But for structural defects, active water intrusion, health and safety concerns, or issues that affect habitability, conventional, FHA, and VA loan programs may require repairs before the loan can close.

That means even if the buyer is willing to accept the home as-is, the lender may not allow it.

Issues that can create lender problems may include:

  • Active roof leaks

  • Significant foundation movement

  • Knob-and-tube wiring that has not been updated

  • Buried oil tanks

  • Major safety or habitability concerns

If those issues appear in an inspection report, some repairs may become effectively required for the deal to close.

This is why preparing the home before listing can pay off. When you know the home’s condition upfront, you are less likely to be blindsided during inspection negotiations.

How to Decide What to Give — and What to Fight For

Pittsburgh’s 2026 market gives buyers more leverage than they had several years ago. That context matters.

If your listing is approaching day 40 or beyond, the offer in front of you may be worth more than the unknown buyer you might get if you start over. If your home is in a stronger-demand neighborhood such as Squirrel Hill, Mt. Lebanon, Regent Square, or parts of Lawrenceville, you may have more room to hold firm.

Here is a practical way to think through repair requests.

Decline Cosmetic Requests

If the buyer is asking for a credit because grout is discolored, paint is peeling, or finishes are dated, you may be able to push back.

Cosmetic issues are not the same as material defects. If the home was priced correctly for its condition from the start, inspection negotiations should not become a second round of aesthetic complaints.

Offer a Credit Instead of Completing Repairs

For many items, a closing credit is cleaner than making repairs before settlement.

A credit can avoid:

  • Contractor scheduling delays

  • Disputes over repair quality

  • Last-minute re-inspections

  • Permit issues

  • Closing delays

The buyer gets money toward their costs, and they can choose who completes the work after closing.

Make One Decisive Counter

Multiple rounds of small concessions can make the seller appear weak.

If you are going to move, move once and make the counter clear.

For example:

“Seller will provide a $4,000 closing credit in lieu of repairs. This is seller’s final position.”

A clear, firm counter often works better than several rounds of small adjustments.

Know Your Number Before You Respond

Before responding, every seller should know the minimum net proceeds they are willing to accept.

Ask:

  • What will I net if I agree to this credit?

  • What will it cost me to relist?

  • How long might I carry the home if this buyer walks?

  • Could the next offer be lower?

  • Is this repair request reasonable compared to the risk of starting over?

Your agent can help model the net effect of different repair credits, price reductions, and relisting scenarios.

One Submarket Note

Stronger Pittsburgh neighborhoods — including Squirrel Hill, Regent Square, Mt. Lebanon, and parts of Lawrenceville — often move faster and attract more buyers. Sellers in those areas may have more leverage to hold firm or counter aggressively.

In higher-days-on-market areas, or with homes that need significant work, the strategy may shift toward concessions that keep the deal together.

Every property is different. The right move depends on your home, price point, buyer pool, inspection results, and overall market activity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a Pittsburgh seller refuse all repair requests after a home inspection?

Yes. You are not legally required to make repairs or provide credits in response to a buyer’s Written Corrective Proposal.

However, if you refuse and the buyer does not want to proceed as-is, they can terminate the Agreement of Sale within the inspection contingency period and recover their hand money deposit.

The practical question is not whether you can refuse. It is whether refusing improves your net outcome.

What happens if a buyer submits repair requests after the contingency period expires in Pennsylvania?

If the buyer’s Written Corrective Proposal arrives after the contingency deadline, you are not obligated to respond or negotiate.

The contract remains in force on the agreed terms. Both parties can still voluntarily negotiate after the deadline, but the buyer has likely waived their contractual right to terminate based on inspection findings.

What is the difference between a repair credit and a price reduction?

A repair credit reduces the amount the buyer owes at closing by the agreed dollar amount. It does not change the purchase price or directly affect the appraisal.

A price reduction lowers the purchase price itself. This can affect net proceeds differently and may require updates to the buyer’s loan application.

Credits are often preferred because they are cleaner at the closing table, but the best option depends on the deal structure.

Can a buyer request a credit for every item on the inspection report?

Yes. Buyers can include almost anything they want in a Written Corrective Proposal.

That does not mean the seller is obligated to agree.

In practice, strong proposals focus on material defects, safety items, or expensive repairs. If you receive a proposal with 30 line items, treat it as a negotiating position, not a final demand.

What happens to the hand money if buyer repair negotiations fall apart?

If a buyer terminates during the inspection contingency period because repair negotiations fail, the buyer is generally entitled to receive their hand money deposit back.

As the seller, you receive nothing from that transaction and are free to relist.

This is one reason experienced agents recommend pricing to the home’s actual condition upfront. The better the price-to-condition fit, the less likely you are to face a contentious inspection negotiation.

Conclusion

Repair requests after a home inspection can feel stressful, but they are a normal part of many Pittsburgh home sales.

The key is understanding the inspection contingency timeline, knowing your response options, and making decisions based on your net outcome — not emotion.

You can agree, counter, or refuse. You can offer credits instead of repairs. You can push back on cosmetic requests. And you can protect your position by knowing your bottom line before you respond.

If you are preparing to list your Pittsburgh home for sale and want to understand what your home may face at inspection — and what it could realistically net after closing costs, credits, and market conditions — start with a personalized valuation based on your home’s actual condition, location, and comparable sales.

Get started at https://www.pittsburghhometeam.com/seller/homeestimate/default.