inspection drama

the buyers of our richmond house did their home inspection on wednesday. the inspector found a few dumb things totalling $750. i don't remember them all but i did a lot of eye-rolling as i read them:

• downspout disconnected: estimate to fix $75 (seriously, it's called a ladder, climb it, reattach, cost $0. done.)
• recommend sealing the openings beneath the gas logs in the fireplace so mice don't get in (umm. just turn the fireplace on. scorched mice = no mice. or get a cat. done.)
• trim the trees away from the house (estimate: something ridiculous like $350)
• need new dryer vent cover

whatever. but the buyers asked for an additional $800 toward their closing costs which annoyed me for a few reasons:

1. i'm already mad that we're selling them our house for less than we paid for it
2. also mad because in addition we are giving them $5000 for closing costs
3. and buying them a $400+ home warranty
4. the inspector's estimate totally $750 so they were trying to squeeze that plus an extra $50 out of us.

but. at the same time $800 is a fairly small price to pay to get this disaster over once and for all. jer was ok just paying it but i am stubborn and really wanted to counter something lower (or say heck no.) so i poured over the contract to see what we were obligated to do.

contracts are never easy to read given all the legal-ese but i was pretty sure it said that they need to present us a list of requested repairs and/or credits by 8 p.m. on wednesday 6/4 or they waive their right to ask for anything. the addendum they submitted to us requesting the $800 extra was signed and dated 6/5. seems to me they forfeited their right to ask for anything.

i made jeremy ask our realtor about it, and at first he responded that the buyers were still entitled to ask for repairs as long as the inspection took place by 6/4. i know i was driving jer crazy, but i made him ask the realtor one more time. at that point the realtor went back and re-read the contract and realized that i was actually right. it turns out the standard virginia purchase agreement has changed recently, and that was one key change. guess neither their realtor nor ours was aware of the change. supposedly the buyer's agent now has to pay the $800, not us.

for once, my stubbornness was helpful and saved us $800! woo hoo! now we just need to get through the termite inspection and the appraisal, and then it should be smooth sailing (knock on wood) to closing on 7/7. the end is near!!!!