What Happens If the Home Inspector Finds Something Serious?

Every buyer dreads it: you’ve fallen in love with the house, you’re under contract, and the inspection report comes back with something serious. What happens now?

Finding serious issues during inspection is exactly what the inspection is designed to do. Here’s how to handle it.

Step 1: Don’t Panic — Get Context

Before you do anything else, call your inspector. Your inspector can tell you whether a roof with significant granule loss is two months from failure or two to three years. They can explain whether foundation cracks are historical and stable or actively widening.

Step 2: Get Contractor Estimates

For any major finding, get at least one estimate from a qualified contractor before you negotiate:

• Roof replacement: $8,000–$18,000
• Foundation repair: $3,000–$25,000+
• Electrical panel upgrade: $1,500–$4,000
• HVAC replacement: $4,000–$10,000
• Mold remediation: $1,000–$10,000+

Step 3: Understand Your Contractual Options in Maryland

Most Maryland residential contracts include an inspection contingency giving you several options:

• Request repairs: Ask the seller to fix specific items before closing.
• Request a price reduction: Negotiate a lower purchase price.
• Request a closing credit: Credit applied at closing that you use for repairs.
• Walk away: Void the contract under the inspection contingency and receive your earnest money back.

When to Walk Away

Walking away is the right call when repair costs represent a significant percentage of the purchase price and the seller won’t negotiate, or when the scope of damage is broader than originally visible. Walking away is hard after you’ve been mentally living in a house — but far less painful than closing on a home with $50,000 worth of undisclosed problems.