- Most inspection reports list many small items. Buyers usually focus on safety and big-ticket issues.
- You can repair, offer a credit or price change, or decline. Each has trade-offs.
- A pre-listing inspection on an older home can prevent surprises and strengthen your position.
The buyer's inspector spends three hours in your home, and a few days later a request arrives. Don't panic. Here's how to think about it.
Sort the request
- Safety items: exposed wiring, a missing handrail, a gas smell. Usually reasonable to address.
- Big-ticket items: foundation movement, roof at end of life, furnace failing, sewer line problems. These affect value, and negotiation is normal.
- Normal wear: caulking, a dripping tap, a sticky window. Usually not worth renegotiating over in a fairly priced home.
Your three options
Repair it. You control the quality and cost, but you need receipts and time before possession.
Credit or price adjustment. Simpler, and the buyer chooses their own contractor. Your lender and lawyer handle the paperwork.
Decline. Reasonable if the item was obvious, already reflected in the price or minor. The buyer then decides whether to continue.
Pre-listing inspections
For homes over 30 or 40 years old, a pre-listing inspection can:
- reveal issues you can fix before listing
- let you price honestly and disclose clearly
- reduce surprises during the buyer's condition period
Buyers will still do their own inspection, but there are usually fewer surprises left.
What to have ready
Your ticks stay in this browser.
A buyer's report lists a cracked toilet tank lid and an old furnace near end of life. Which is more likely worth negotiating?
Got an inspection request?
- Reply within 24 hours
- Everything in writing, in plain English or Polish
- Winnipeg and all of Manitoba
Questions people ask
Do I have to fix everything on the report?
No. You're not obliged to make repairs unless your contract says so. You must not hide known latent defects, though. See property disclosure in Manitoba.
This article is general information for Manitoba, not legal, tax, mortgage or financial advice. Rules, rates and programs change; figures are estimates as of October 2026. Check your situation with a lawyer, lender or accountant before you act. Adela Strycharz is a REALTOR® with Real Broker Manitoba Ltd. If you already have an agreement with another brokerage, please speak with your own REALTOR® first.