Christian Ross | Ross Title – Ross Law
Inspections: Stop Editing the Buyer Election (and Start Coaching Your Customer)
Inspections don’t kill deals. Surprises do.
Most inspection drama is avoidable when you do one thing early: prepare your customer. Train them on what inspections are really for, the difference between defective vs. cosmetic, and what a reasonable response looks like—so they can make informed decisions without emotion running the show.
That was the overarching theme of our latest video on inspection strategy: educate first, negotiate second. This applies to both sides. Buyers need guidance so they don’t treat a home inspection like a renovation wish list. Sellers need guidance so they don’t treat every comment in a report like an accusation.
And that brings me to one of the most common mistakes I see on the NABOR standard contract.
The NABOR “Buyer Election” Trap: Don’t Cross Things Out
On the NABOR standard contract, after inspections, the Buyer typically sends a “Buyer Election” selecting a remedy (repair, credit, cancel, etc.). If the Seller decides they’re willing to agree to fix all “defective inspection items”—but wants to exclude certain items because they’re cosmetic—many people’s instinct is to start marking up the Buyer Election:
- crossing out lines
- rewriting the form
- Countering
- initialing edits like it’s a contract rewrite
Don’t.
When you start editing the Buyer Election, you create ambiguity and friction at the exact moment the deal needs clarity and momentum. You also increase the odds of a misunderstanding later: “Wait—did they accept the election or not?” “Is this a counter?” “What exactly are they agreeing to repair?”
Instead, keep the form clean and handle the “cosmetic vs. defective” distinction the right way.
Watch the video for more on this topic.
Buying or selling a home in the Naples – Bonita Springs area? Contact David at David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086.