Using new services, buyers and sellers can stay on the same page about home repair costs.

Home inspections are often a major bone of contention between buyers and sellers. Buyers tend to demand that sellers fix every little thing that their examiners find wrong with the house, and sellers sometimes hold firm that they won’t mend items that they believe amount to nothing less than nitpicking. Worse, though, buyers tend to believe the cost to repair everything the inspector discovers is two or even three times what it really might set them back. So, they adjust their offers by that amount. That leaves sellers stuck having to decide whether to accept a lowball offer or bite the bullet. Let more hard bargaining ensue. 

Those familiar with inspection reports know they can be lengthy and detailed -- and therefore difficult to decipher. They also offer little, if any, insight into what it might cost to repair what the inspector says needs to be fixed. But now there are several ways both sides can obtain accurate repair estimates quickly. RepairPricer, PunchList and HouseMaster are all sites that offer repair estimates based on location. Though pricing is not guaranteed because there are too many variables and potential underlying issues, these services do offer a great starting point for buyers and sellers as they begin negotiations. 

Source: Lew Sichelman, uexpress