How to Respond to a Repair Request After Inspection in TN
What should a Tennessee seller do when the buyer sends a repair request after inspection?
Read the deadline first, then the list. On the standard Tennessee Realtors purchase agreement (RF401), a buyer's written repair list starts a Resolution Period, and if you and the buyer have not signed a Repair/Replacement Amendment, the buyer has not accepted the home as is, or you have not signed a written extension by the end of that period, the contract terminates and the buyer gets the earnest money back. You can agree to the repairs, offer a credit or a price reduction, counter on part of the list, or decline. Each choice has a cost, and the right one depends on what the item is and what relisting would cost you in today's Wilson County market.
By Khristian Schlemmer | October 27, 2026
You accepted an offer, the inspector spent three hours in your attic, and now there's a PDF in your inbox with a list of things the buyer wants fixed. Some of it is fair. Some of it reads like a wish list. And the clock started the moment it landed.
This is one of the most common calls I get from sellers in Lebanon, Mt. Juliet, and across Middle Tennessee right now. With more homes on the market than a year ago, buyers are asking for more after inspection, and sellers are trying to figure out where the line is.
Here's how the process works in Tennessee, what your real options are, and how to decide without blowing up a good contract.
How the Tennessee Resolution Period Works After the Inspection
Most Middle Tennessee resale contracts are written on the Tennessee Realtors RF401 Purchase and Sale Agreement. The current version (01/01/2026) lays out the inspection process in Section 8. Your signed contract controls, and builder contracts or other forms can work differently, so pull up your own copy as you read this.
During the Inspection Period, the buyer has three choices:
Terminate with a written list of objections, and the earnest money goes back to the buyer
Accept the home "AS IS" with no repairs
Send you a written list of items to be repaired or replaced, which the form calls a Repair/Replacement Proposal
That third option is where most deals land. The moment you receive the list, the Inspection Period ends and the Resolution Period begins. Its length is whatever number of days was written into the blank in your contract.
Here's the part that catches sellers off guard. The form says the agreement terminates at the end of the Resolution Period, with the earnest money refunded to the buyer, unless one of three things happens first:
You and the buyer sign a Repair/Replacement Amendment (or a written equivalent)
The buyer gives written notice accepting the home as is
You and the buyer sign a written amendment extending the Resolution Period
So doing nothing is not a neutral move. If the deadline passes without one of those three signed documents, the deal is over.
A few more rules worth knowing:
You can ask for proof. The form gives you the right to request supporting documentation for any item on the list. If the buyer wants a new HVAC system, ask to see what the inspector or HVAC tech actually wrote.
Both sides must negotiate in good faith during the Resolution Period.
The buyer can withdraw the list in writing during the Resolution Period. If they do, they're treated as accepting the home as is.
Days are calendar days ending at 11:59 p.m. local time. If a deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, it rolls to the next business day.
Write the Resolution Period end date on a sticky note the day the list arrives. Every decision below happens inside that window.
Your Options: Make Repairs, Give a Credit, Counter, or Say No
You are not required to fix anything. You also are not guaranteed to keep the buyer if you don't. Here's how each path plays out.
Agree to make the repairs
If you agree, the terms go into the Repair/Replacement Amendment. The RF401 standard is that repairs are completed "with like quality or value in a professional and workmanlike manner."
The form puts real weight behind the deadline. Under Section 9, if agreed repairs are not completed by the deadline, you're considered in default and the buyer can terminate. The buyer then confirms the work at the final inspection, which I cover in more detail in this guide to the final walk-through in Tennessee.
Practical tips if you go this route:
Keep invoices and any warranty paperwork, even though the form does not require receipts. They answer questions at the walk-through before they're asked.
Get the contractor scheduled before you sign. A repair you agree to but can't get done in time is a default waiting to happen.
Spell out exactly what "fixed" means in the amendment. "Repair roof" invites a fight. "Replace damaged shingles on the rear slope per inspection item 4.2" does not.
Offer a credit or a price reduction instead
Many sellers would rather hand over money than manage contractors during a move. A credit or a price reduction can make the whole negotiation cleaner.
This is very common right now. Redfin reported that 75.5% of Nashville-area home purchases included a seller concession in the three months ending May 31, 2026, the highest share of the 28 metros it tracks. Nationally, Redfin put the share at 44.7% for the three months ending August 31, 2026. Buyers here expect to ask, and many sellers expect to give something.
Two cautions. First, lenders set their own rules on how much a seller can contribute and what it can be used for, so the buyer's lender has to sign off on a credit. Second, a credit and a price reduction are not the same thing on the settlement statement. Your title company can show you how each one lands on your net.
Counter on part of the list
Most repair lists mix three kinds of items: safety and major systems, things a lender may flag, and minor or cosmetic items. You can agree to some, decline others, and offer a credit for the rest.
The RF401 helps you here. Section 8.A says the buyer has no right to require repairs purely to bring a home up to current building codes (unless a governmental authority requires it), and it waives objections to purely cosmetic items. An older home that met code when it was built does not have to be rebuilt to today's code because a buyer asks.
Say no
Declining is a legitimate answer, especially to cosmetic items or a list that reads like a remodel. Just make the call with your eyes open. If the buyer won't move and no amendment, as-is acceptance, or extension gets signed, the contract terminates at the end of the Resolution Period and you're back on the market.
How to Decide: Weigh the Ask Against the Cost of Relisting in Wilson County
The real question isn't "is this request fair?" It's "what does it cost me to say no?"
Here's what the current numbers say about Wilson County and Lebanon:
More competition. Wilson County had 942 active listings in September 2026, up from 801 in September 2025 (Realtor.com via FRED).
Slower sales. Median days on market in Wilson County was 54 in September 2026, compared with 51 a year earlier (Realtor.com via FRED).
Negotiation is normal. In Lebanon, homes sold for a median 98.7% of list price in September 2026, and 34.7% of homes had a price drop (Redfin).
In a market like this, a buyer who walks is not easily replaced next weekend. Before you decline a $2,000 request, add up what another month or two on the market costs you: your mortgage payment, taxes, insurance, utilities, and the chance of a price cut later.
There's also the information problem. Tennessee's Residential Property Disclosure Act (T.C.A. 66-5-201 and following) is built on what the seller knows: sellers must disclose known material defects in good faith, and must tell buyers at or before closing about material changes in the condition. Once you've read an inspection report, you may know things you didn't know when you filled out your disclosure. If the deal falls apart, talk with your agent, and an attorney if needed, about whether your disclosure should be updated before the next buyer sees it. Your next buyer's inspector will probably find the same things anyway.
If you do end up back on the market, this breakdown of whether to cancel and relist your home walks through what that reset really buys you.
A six-step plan for the day the repair list arrives
Mark the Resolution Period deadline and count calendar days from your contract.
Read the full inspection report, not just the buyer's summary. Request supporting documentation for any big-ticket item.
Sort the list into safety and major systems, possible lender items, and cosmetic or code-upgrade items.
Get real quotes on the items that matter. A contractor's number beats a guess every time.
Compare the ask to your cost of relisting using your actual monthly carrying costs.
Put the answer in writing. Sign a Repair/Replacement Amendment, or sign a written extension if you need more time for quotes. A phone call agreement does not stop the clock.
A signed amendment also keeps your closing date on track. If you're wondering how repairs fit into the bigger picture, here's how long it takes to close on a house in Tennessee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a seller have to make repairs after a home inspection in Tennessee?
No. On the RF401, the seller is not required to agree to any repair. But if the buyer sends a repair list and the two sides do not sign a Repair/Replacement Amendment, the buyer does not accept the home as is, and no written extension is signed, the contract terminates at the end of the Resolution Period and the buyer's earnest money is returned.
What happens if the seller does not respond to the repair request?
The deal ends. The RF401 terminates the agreement at the end of the Resolution Period with the earnest money refunded to the buyer unless one of three signed documents is in place: a Repair/Replacement Amendment, the buyer's written as-is acceptance, or a written extension. Silence works against the seller.
Is it better to give a repair credit or fix it myself?
It depends on the item and your timeline. A credit avoids contractor scheduling and the risk of missing a repair deadline, but the buyer's lender must approve it and lenders limit how seller money can be used. Fixing it yourself can make sense when the repair is simple, cheap, and easy to document at the final walk-through.
Can a buyer ask for anything after a Tennessee home inspection?
A buyer can ask, but the RF401 limits what a buyer can require. Section 8.A says the buyer has no right to require repairs purely to meet current building codes unless a governmental authority requires it, and it waives objections to purely cosmetic items. Everything else is a negotiation.
Can the buyer still back out after we sign the repair amendment?
The signed amendment resolves the inspection negotiation, but other parts of the contract, such as financing or appraisal terms, may still apply. If the agreed repairs are not finished by the deadline, Section 9 treats the seller as in default and lets the buyer terminate. Read your own contract and ask your agent which contingencies remain open.
The Bottom Line on Repair Requests
A repair request is a negotiation with a deadline, not an insult. Know your Resolution Period end date, separate the real issues from the wish list, and compare every "no" to what relisting would cost you in today's market.
If you're staring at a repair list right now, or you want to get ahead of it before you list, call or text me at (615) 427-5672 or reach out at firstclassrealestatetn.com/contact. I'll walk through the list with you and help you decide what's worth fixing, crediting, or declining.
About Khristian Schlemmer
Khristian Schlemmer is a Realtor and the founder and team leader of First Class Real Estate by Keller Williams in Lebanon, Tennessee. Over six years he has sold more than 300 homes and $75 million in real estate across Middle Tennessee, with an average of 24 days on market, and he is a two-time Tom Ferry 30 Under 30 honoree. He and his team help sellers in Lebanon, Mt. Juliet, Murfreesboro, Nashville, Franklin, and Brentwood prepare, price, and negotiate with a clear plan.
This article explains how the standard Tennessee Realtors RF401 form works and is not legal advice. Your signed contract controls. For questions about your specific contract or disclosure obligations, consult a Tennessee real estate attorney.
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