'It’s going to need to be a significant amount of money off, right?’: Recluse homeowners agree to offer, but then go back on allowing inspection, first-time homebuyers don't know what to do

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Elna McHilderson • Managing Editor
Feb 24, 2024 9:00 AM EST

The housing market just keeps getting more and more confusing these days. How can you get the best deal? What does "the best" deal even look like anymore? This isn't your grandparents' or even your parents' housing market, this is a whole new monster… 

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  • Welcome to 2024, where the housing market is a confusing mess that can either make or break you. Owning a home is the dream these days. It's always been the dream, it just was a lot more obtainable back in the day. Now, it's literally just a dream for most people. So when someone comes across a home they love and the terms they offer are agreed to, it's applaudable. 

    But what happens when the homeowners decide to go back on their original agreement? This couple, who are first-time homebuyers, are facing just this. They made an offer and it was accepted—their excitement was through the roof! However, the homeowners, who tend to be recluse “country folk” decided they no longer wanted an inspection. 

    “This is a very old house and we just want to know what we are dealing with,” they write as Reddit user Mysterious-Ring7234. “We know there’s work to be done but this is our first home and we want an idea of the scope of this work.” 

    So what would you do? Other Reddit users chime in. Want more homebuying advice from actual people who were in the trenches already? Check out this post!

  • 01
    "What do we do?" FOR SALE
    via houseandhammer (via Flickr)
  • 02
    Seller doesn't want inspection We had our offer accepted last week, including inspection. This week we tried to schedule the inspection and the seller basically said they don't want someone in their house because of their dogs and (teenage) kids, so can we just take money off the purchase price instead.
    via Mysterious-Ring7234
  • 03
    This is a very old house and we just want to know what we are dealing with. We know there's work to be done but this is our first home and we want an idea of the scope of this work. We think they just don't like people in their house - we strongly suspect their listing agent hasn't been inside, and we did two visits with our agent before we put the
    via Mysterious-Ring7234
  • 04
    offer down. They were weird about scheduling those too and ended up being home both times. They could be trying to hide something but after seeing them, it feels more like they're old and eccentric country people, and probably in financial trouble which is why they're selling the house.
    via Mysterious-Ring7234
  • 05
    But what do we do? We all signed the offer contract which included the inspection. If we agree to money off it's going to need to be a significant amount. But they agreed to inspection when they accepted the offer!!!
    via Mysterious-Ring7234
  • 06
    Chiefleef69. 59 min. ago If they agreed to inspection in the contract, then you have the right to an inspection. If they don't let you have an inspection, I would walk. Have your realtor talk to their realtor and see if they can work something out.
    via Chiefleef69
  • 07
    311Tatertots · 57 min. ago Agreed. The sellers knew about the inspection if you didn't waive the right. They shouldn't be trying to unilaterally change the already signed contract. Time to put your realtor to work on sorting this out.
    via 311Tatertots
  • 08
    venk 55 min. ago ● This has to be the mother of all red flags. Walk. Or tell them you'll wave inspection for some ridiculous amount of money, but more than likely you should walk.
    via venk
  • 09
    √x+2/7 BeerJunky 36 min. ago Tell them to remove the dogs and kids. That's what normal people do.
    via BeerJunky
  • 10
    18karatcake 45 min. ago ● Do not buy without an inspection. Talk to your realtor; they may not legally be able to refuse. And if they can legally refuse, back out of the offer.
    via 18karatcake
  • 11
    GluedGlue 27 min. ago ● They aren't legally required to let people onto their property if they don't want them there. At that point though, since they're not allowing the inspection to be conducted per the contract they signed, the buyer can walk away and keep their earnest money deposit.
    via Gluedglue
  • 12
    13 1000thusername 22 min. ago Nope. They agreed to an inspection, you get an inspection. If they wanted to dictate it all, they could have stated that all up front (and far fewer people would want their house...), but they're trying to have their cake and eat it too. They can stick that cake where the sun don't shine.
    via 100thusername
  • 13
    majesticalexis 3 min. ago Get the inspection. They're avoiding it for a reason. GET THE INSPECTION
    via majesticalexis
  • 14
    GluedGlue 17 min. ago This is something for your realtor to handle. Kids and dogs typically aren't present in a house for an inspection anyways. They should crate the dogs and take the kids out for a day trip during the inspection. Legally, you can't force someone to enter their house without their permission and no inspector is going to break into a house to do their job.
    via Gluedglue
  • 15
    If they refuse to allow an inspection, they've breached the contract and you get to keep your earnest money deposit. Walk away at that point, it's not worth rolling the dice on an uninspected house with crazy people living in it.
    via Gluedglue
  • 16
    International-Mix326 7 min. ago I would talk to your relator. Unless they are reducing the price by 90 percent and paying all closing costs, then you want an inspection with a very old house.
    via International-Mix326
  • 17
    epicallyconfused 7 min. ago Imagine the absolutely worst case secanrio of what an inspection would find. And then double the cost of that scenario. This is the only amount you should consider waiving the inspection for.
    via epicallyconfused

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home buying advice first time homebuyers house hunting new homeowners buying a house housing market advice advice real estate first time homeowners homebuyers Reddit home inspection housing market homeowners
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