Inspection Objection Calculator

After inspection, buyers can ask for repairs, credits, or price reductions. Asking for too much kills the deal; asking for too little leaves money on the table. This calculator sizes a defensible objection based on identified defects, safety issues, market conditions, and typical seller response rates.

Contract price

Total quoted repair cost

% of repairs that are safety/structural

% already visible in listing photos

Market softness

Seller motivation

Recommended objection ask

$6,888

Expected seller counter (~65%)

$4,477

Ask as % of contract

1.62%

Raw ask before market adj

$6,888

Safety portion

$3,800

Ordinary repair portion

$4,275

How the math works

Safety/structural items justify full dollar value. Ordinary repairs typically justify 70-80%. Pre-existing visible conditions (covered in listing) justify very little — you saw them before you bid. Market softness and seller motivation scale the ask up or down.

Expected seller counter is around 60-70% of the ask in most markets. Know your walk-away number before submitting — if the seller offers only 30%, you need to be ready to either accept or terminate. Bluffs that turn into real walkaways destroy deals you wanted to close.

How to Use

List the defect count and estimated total repair cost from the inspection report.
Rate the share that are safety-critical (bad electrical, structural, gas, lead).
Set market softness — how motivated the seller is to close.
See the recommended ask and expected seller response.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I ask for a repair or a credit?

Credit. Always a credit or price reduction. Seller-done repairs are often cheap/fast (pride of ownership is gone) and create new inspection issues. Credit lets you choose your contractor and timing. Credits typically run 70-85% of the quoted repair cost since sellers know you'll do it cheaper with a buyer's eye.

What's a reasonable ask size?

Cosmetic/minor: 0.3-0.7% of contract price. Functional but working: 1-2%. Safety/structural: 2-5%. Over 5% of contract price usually kills the deal unless severe (failed inspection, undisclosed material defect). Research your local market's norm via your agent.

Can the seller refuse?

Yes, and many do — especially in a seller's market. Your options: (1) take the property as-is, (2) walk away per inspection objection contingency and recover earnest money, (3) split the difference. Know your bottom line before submitting the ask.

What about older homes?

Adjust expectations. A 1975 home with a 15-year-old roof is 'expected condition' — asking for a new roof credit is unreasonable. Asking for a repair credit on a specifically-noted leak is reasonable. Focus on issues NOT already evident from the listing or walkthrough.