Credits are usually faster and reduce closing-table risk. Repairs done pre-close can be done poorly, late, or not at all, and buyers inherit the warranty problem. For non-safety items above ~$500, credit at closing is the cleaner ask. For safety items (electrical panel, gas, heat exchanger), most buyers prefer the seller actually do the work with a licensed contractor + permit.

What if the seller refuses everything?

You are in the inspection-objection / response cycle defined by the purchase agreement. Most state contracts give the buyer the right to withdraw if the parties cannot agree within the objection-response window. Withdrawing returns the earnest money in most cases. Talk to the agent + the lender before the window closes — partial concessions are common when both sides walk through the consequences.

Do I have to use the state realtor form?

In states with mandatory standard forms (Illinois, Texas, Colorado, etc.) the negotiation is transcribed onto the state realtor form to be contractually binding. This deficiency list is the working file behind the form — the form itself is a short letter; the list is the detail.

Credits are usually faster and reduce closing-table risk. Repairs done pre-close can be done poorly, late, or not at all, and buyers inherit the warranty problem. For non-safety items above ~$500, credit at closing is the cleaner ask. For safety items (electrical panel, gas, heat exchanger), most buyers prefer the seller actually do the work with a licensed contractor + permit.

What if the seller refuses everything?

You are in the inspection-objection / response cycle defined by the purchase agreement. Most state contracts give the buyer the right to withdraw if the parties cannot agree within the objection-response window. Withdrawing returns the earnest money in most cases. Talk to the agent + the lender before the window closes — partial concessions are common when both sides walk through the consequences.

Do I have to use the state realtor form?

In states with mandatory standard forms (Illinois, Texas, Colorado, etc.) the negotiation is transcribed onto the state realtor form to be contractually binding. This deficiency list is the working file behind the form — the form itself is a short letter; the list is the detail.

Property Inspection Deficiency List

A post-inspection deficiency list — item, location, inspector finding, severity (safety / material / cosmetic), buyer request (repair / credit / informational), seller response column.

Customise

Property address

Buyer

Seller

Inspector + license #

Inspection date

Closing date

Deficiency rows (location | finding | severity | request)

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INSPECTION DEFICIENCY LIST — REQUEST TO SELLER
218 Linden Ave, Springfield
Buyer: Morgan Lee     Seller: James and Priya Henderson
Inspector: Pat Owens — IL Lic. #450.011234
Inspection: June 4, 2026     Closing: June 28, 2026

SEVERITY LEGEND
  safety        — life-safety / code violation
  material      — affects value or function; not life-safety
  informational — disclosure only; no buyer ask

DEFICIENCIES
   1. [material     ] Roof — south slope
        Finding: 3 lifted shingles, exposed nails
        Request: Repair by licensed roofer pre-close, transferable workmanship warranty
        Seller response: ________________________________________

   2. [safety       ] Electrical — panel
        Finding: Federal Pacific Stab-Lok panel
        Request: Replace panel with modern 200A panel pre-close OR $3,500 credit
        Seller response: ________________________________________

   3. [safety       ] HVAC
        Finding: Furnace age 24 yrs, heat-exchanger crack visible on scope
        Request: Replace furnace pre-close OR $5,200 credit
        Seller response: ________________________________________

   4. [material     ] Plumbing — basement
        Finding: Active leak at copper joint near water heater
        Request: Repair by licensed plumber pre-close
        Seller response: ________________________________________

   5. [material     ] Window — west bedroom
        Finding: Failed seal, condensation between panes
        Request: Replace IGU pre-close OR $450 credit
        Seller response: ________________________________________

   6. [safety       ] GFCI — kitchen
        Finding: 2 outlets near sink not GFCI-protected
        Request: Install GFCI pre-close (code)
        Seller response: ________________________________________

   7. [material     ] Grading
        Finding: Negative grade against north foundation
        Request: Re-grade + extend downspouts, $1,200 credit
        Seller response: ________________________________________

   8. [informational] Ceiling — guest bath
        Finding: Old water stain, source dry per inspector
        Request: No action — informational only
        Seller response: ________________________________________

BUYER STATEMENT
  Pursuant to the inspection contingency in the purchase agreement dated
  ____________, the buyer requests the above repairs and/or credits before
  closing. Items marked "informational" do not require action and are
  listed for the file only.

  Buyer: ____________________________   Date: ____________
         Morgan Lee

SELLER RESPONSE
  Seller will respond in writing within the inspection-objection
  response window stated in the purchase agreement.

  Seller: ____________________________   Date: ____________
         James and Priya Henderson

About this template

A **post-inspection deficiency list** is what turns a 60-page inspection report into a **specific, prioritized request** to the seller. The inspection report itself is too long for the seller to negotiate against — it covers everything the inspector saw, with photographs, and treats a cracked HVAC heat exchanger the same way it treats a chipped grout line. The deficiency list is the **buyer's ask**: for each item, what they want done, with **severity classification** so the seller can see what really matters. Three severity tiers structure the request. **Safety** items — code violations, life-safety hazards, electrical panels under recall (Federal Pacific Stab-Lok, Zinsco, certain Challenger), gas leaks, cracked heat exchangers, missing GFCI / AFCI where code requires, missing smoke / CO detectors. These are the items most sellers will repair without much argument, because the next buyer will flag them anyway. **Material** items — failed window seals, active leaks, active termite, roof at end of life, grading issues, failed grout, etc. These are negotiated as repair-or-credit. **Informational** items — old water stain that is dry, painted-over electrical box that looks fine, minor cosmetic wear. These go on the list for the file and not as an ask. Two things separate a deficiency list that gets a "yes" from one that gets a counter. First, **be specific about the remedy**: "replace panel with modern 200A panel" beats "address the panel." Second, **anchor the dollar number** with a contractor quote when possible — sellers push back hardest on numbers the buyer cannot defend. Finally, transcribe onto the **state realtor form** (Illinois "Inspection Notice"; Texas TREC "Amendment"; Colorado "Inspection Objection" / "Inspection Response") at the time of sending. This working list lives between the inspector's report and the form your agent files — both sides save it for the file.

When to use it

Buyer + agent building the post-inspection ask.
Seller responding to a buyer's inspection objection.
Documenting the agreed-upon repairs before closing.
Closing-table file copy of the inspection negotiation.

What to include

Property, parties, inspector, inspection date, closing date.
Each item: location, finding, severity, buyer request.
Severity legend (safety / material / informational).
Seller-response column.
Signatures and dates.

Frequently asked

Generally no — and definitely not as requests. Listing every nail-hole and scuff signals "buyer who will fight about everything" and hardens the seller against the items that matter. Group truly cosmetic items as "informational only — no action requested" so the file is complete without weakening the ask.

⚠ Legal disclaimer. This deficiency list is a working document, not a state realtor form. Purchase agreements in most states require the inspection objection to be made on the state-promulgated form within a fixed window. Confirm the form, the deadline, and the response procedure with the buyer's agent and the closing attorney before relying on this list alone.

Jurisdiction: General — a deficiency summary used after a home inspection to request seller repairs or credits in the inspection-objection / response-to-inspection window. Most state realtor forms have their own version; this template is the working list buyer + agent build before transcribing onto the state form.

Last reviewed: 2026-05

Reviewed by ScoutMyTool — consult a licensed attorney for binding use.