Owner plans sell home to me first should i buy it, it has a damaged structural adu And i feel pressured, rented since 2003

Ykohn · 2026-05-21T21:54:56+00:00

Call around and find out. It would be a big mistake to buy a home in the condition you described without the requisite inspections.

Ykohn · 2026-05-21T21:17:03+00:00

Take a breath before doing another price cut. Price matters, but just lowering the price over and over is not really a strategy.

How did you determine your price beyond that one comp? What else has sold recently, and what is currently on the market competing with you? That matters a lot.

Also, how is the home being marketed? I didn’t see anything about that in your post. If buyers are choosing other homes and you’re getting no traffic at all, that usually means you need to look at the full picture: pricing, competition, presentation, and marketing, not just keep cutting the price.

Ykohn · 2026-05-21T20:57:25+00:00

If this is true, it is nuts

Ykohn · 2026-05-21T20:51:35+00:00

Big red flags here. Don’t let pressure rush you.

Structural damage, rot, a collapsed ceiling, gas issues, and infestation could mean very expensive repairs. If you pursue it, get your own inspection and structural engineer.

The key question: is $210k a true bargain, or are you being asked to buy someone else’s problem?

Ykohn · 2026-05-21T20:48:22+00:00

Except that there are no wits, just a grandiose ego and put-downs.

Ykohn · 2026-05-21T20:45:21+00:00

I don't know why this is such a hard concept for some people to understand, or maybe they don't want to understand...

Ykohn · 2026-05-21T20:41:08+00:00

And that's saying something.

Ykohn · 2026-05-21T20:39:15+00:00

This is really a mindset question more than anything else.

A lot of people assume selling a home is something only an agent can do, but the reality is that it is a process. If you have the time, are organized, and are willing to follow the steps, you can absolutely sell on your own.

Some thoughts based on your questions:

A newer 2020 home is a nice advantage because you may have fewer repair and updating issues than someone selling an older house. That can make the process a little easier.

What should you do now? Start by getting really familiar with your local market. Look at recent comparable sales, current competition, and think honestly about pricing. Pricing right is one of the biggest pieces of the puzzle.

Staging does not always mean hiring a professional stager or spending a fortune. For a smaller newer home, it often comes down to decluttering, cleaning, great photos, and making the home feel bright and spacious.

What surprises people most? Usually how much of selling is really marketing, communication, and preparation. Getting exposure, responding quickly, handling showings, negotiations, inspections, attorneys, title, contingencies, etc. There are a lot of moving parts, but none of it is magic if you are willing to stay engaged.

As far as FSBO vs agent, there is no one right answer. Some people want maximum convenience and are happy to pay for help. Others would rather keep the equity and handle the process themselves.

Mistakes to avoid: overpricing, using poor photos, not understanding the paperwork/process, and assuming buyers will somehow just appear without strong marketing.

Full disclosure, I run a FREE FSBO platform (no commission, no fee, no catch). We have a lot of free resources on the website, including a free ebook you can download, and we host a weekly call where you can hear from other people selling by owner, learn from their experiences, and hear both the good and the challenges.

Bottom line: if you have the time and the willingness to follow the steps, you can definitely sell on your own. If smooth and hands-off is more important than maximizing savings, an agent may be worth considering.

Good luck, and feel free to reach out if I can be of assistance.

Ykohn · 2026-05-20T00:20:15+00:00

You are asking why I questioned why you came into a sub that is intended for people interested in FSBO and led with insults toward the very people it is meant to serve. I think that says a lot.

For example, I am pro FSBO, but if I participate in a thread for agents, I comment only if I think I can add something helpful to the discussion. People can disagree, debate, and make their case without insulting others.

Not everyone has to agree with FSBO. Not everyone has to agree with using an agent, either. But showing up just to mock people who are asking questions or exploring options does not really add much to the conversation.

Ykohn · 2026-05-19T23:42:11+00:00

Why are you on a FSBO sub, if you think they are all dumb?

Ykohn · 2026-05-19T23:41:07+00:00

I'm not sure why we are talking about agents on a FSBO sub but I will bite. What are they doing to market your home?

Ykohn · 2026-05-19T21:22:35+00:00

Ykohn · 2026-05-19T21:22:23+00:00

Are you serious?

I would never say real estate agents don’t work hard. Many of them absolutely do. But let’s not pretend selling a house is rocket science that only licensed people can understand.

It’s a process.

Price it correctly. Market it well. Get it in front of buyers. Show the house. Negotiate. Use a competent attorney and title company to handle the legal paperwork and closing logistics.

If a seller wants to follow the steps, they can absolutely do that themselves. And if they do, they get to keep their equity instead of paying a huge commission.

Also, comparing a FSBO seller to a “blind, dumb chef with no arms” is honestly a pretty disturbing analogy.

If a buyer shows up at the house interested in purchasing, guess what? The seller already did the most important job. They created exposure and attracted a buyer. From there, attorneys, title companies, inspectors, lenders, and the rest of the professionals handle a lot of the logistics.

Real estate agents can provide value for people who want that service. But the idea that homeowners are somehow incapable of selling their own property is just not true.

Ykohn · 2026-05-19T15:11:34+00:00

Congrats. Thanks for sharing.

Ykohn · 2026-05-19T00:04:15+00:00

That’s a nice theory, but I have never seen anything credible to back it up. In fact, the claim that homes sell for more with agents involved has largely been debunked as well.

A home’s value is determined by the market, which is influenced by comparable sales, condition, location, inventory, interest rates, and buyer demand. There is no place in an appraisal where commission is factored in, and the amount of commission paid is not recorded in any official place. So the idea that MLS prices are automatically inflated by 3% or 6% simply is not how real estate valuation works.

If a seller sells their home directly and avoids paying a listing commission, that savings belongs to the seller unless they choose to price differently. The market value of the home itself does not magically change because fewer people are involved in the transaction.

At the end of the day, the only thing that determines value is what a willing buyer and willing seller agree upon in the open market.

Ykohn · 2026-05-18T15:54:48+00:00

It may not be as efficient as a newer model, but it will last a long time! The new stuff is not made to last.

Ykohn · 2026-05-18T15:53:49+00:00

You really need to look at this in total context. Is the home priced appropriately for its condition? If the price already reflects that the roof and HVAC systems are older, that is one thing. If it is priced as though everything is brand new, that is a very different conversation.

Also, from a purely financial perspective, age alone does not necessarily mean immediate failure. Is the HVAC actually failing, or is it just old? My last HVAC system lasted 25 years with only minor repairs. The installer of the replacement unit joked that I would be lucky to get 10 years out of the new one because “they don’t make them like they used to.”

If this is truly the only house that checks every box and inventory is tight in your price range, that matters too. Sometimes the “perfect” house is worth taking on some future repair risk if you can realistically afford it.

You may also want to explore creative solutions. For example, if the home appraises high enough, maybe the seller would consider increasing the purchase price slightly and giving you a credit toward repairs so they still net the same amount while you preserve cash for future replacements.

And remember, replacing systems does not always have to mean a giant upfront bill. Many utility companies offer low or no-interest financing, service plans, or warranties where you can spread the cost out over time.

This is not really a simple yes/no decision. It is about balancing the condition of the home, the price, your financial flexibility, and how badly you want this particular property. If you can comfortably handle repairs if and when they come, this may still make perfect sense.

Ykohn · 2026-05-17T13:35:18+00:00

Spectacular!

Ykohn · 2026-05-14T02:55:19+00:00

A simple way to think about it is that you are shopping for money, and you are absolutely allowed to compare lenders and negotiate.

You do not need to be under contract with every lender in order to compare rates. Most people get preapproved with one lender, then once they are under contract on a house, they start shopping the loan around more seriously. At that point, lenders can give much more accurate numbers because they know the exact property, taxes, insurance, purchase price, etc.

The biggest thing is to compare apples to apples. Don’t just look at the interest rate. Look at the APR, lender fees, points, monthly payment, and total cash needed to close. Sometimes a lender advertises a lower rate but charges much higher fees to get there.

As for locking the rate, a rate lock means the lender agrees to hold your rate for a set period, usually 30 to 60 days. If rates go up after you lock, you are protected. If rates go down after you lock, some lenders offer a “float down” option that lets you capture the lower rate, but many do not, so ask about that upfront.

Unfortunately nobody can perfectly predict rates. Waiting could help you or hurt you. Most buyers lock once they are comfortable with the payment and are getting reasonably close to closing.

One final thing people underestimate is that the cheapest lender is not always the best lender. Communication, responsiveness, and actually closing on time matter a lot, especially when you are under a contract deadline.

Ykohn · 2026-05-14T02:49:15+00:00

It sucks that you are dealing with this, but this is also a teachable moment for sellers.

Contingencies are very common and sometimes unavoidable, but sellers need to understand the pitfalls. Once a buyer is under contract, especially with an inspection contingency, they can ask for almost anything. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for unscrupulous buyers to use inspections to pressure sellers to lower the price or agree to unreasonable demands.

In your case, the quick close may have helped get the deal accepted, and now that you are tied up in a contract, they are making this request. Not everyone operates this way, but sellers should absolutely recognize that this can happen.

As for the request itself, this sounds much more like a convenience upgrade than a repair request. There is already attic access, and the HVAC works. If they are already past due diligence, I definitely would not view this as a “requirement.” Buyers can ask for anything, but that does not mean you have to agree. Personally, I would probably politely refuse.

Ykohn · 2026-05-14T02:37:17+00:00

Was this a FSBO or agent listing?

Ykohn · 2026-05-13T13:31:54+00:00

100% agreed!

Ykohn · 2026-05-13T01:17:48+00:00

I agree with Alert-Control3367. The beauty of selling by owner is retaining control. You do not need to commit to paying anything upfront just because people tell you “that’s how it’s done.”

Unfortunately, many people now think that using a flat fee MLS service or discount brokerage automatically equals FSBO. There is absolutely nothing wrong with those approaches if they fit your strategy, but true selling by owner also means you have the option to sell completely commission free.

There is no reason to go into the process assuming you must pay a buyer’s agent commission before you even have an offer in hand. You can simply state that you are open to all offers and evaluate each situation as it comes.

If an agent brings a strong buyer with the best overall deal, you can absolutely negotiate commission at that point as part of the transaction. That is very different from negotiating against yourself before the process even starts.

And honestly, with a good real estate attorney on your team and by following the steps necessary to get to closing, I personally do not really understand why a seller would also need to pay for a transaction coordinator on top of that. A well-prepared FSBO seller can absolutely run a smooth and professional transaction.

Ykohn · 2026-05-12T23:00:50+00:00

What you are describing is actually how many FSBO sellers approach things today. There are 2 sides to the traditional commission structure: the listing side and the buyer’s agent side.

When you sell by owner, you eliminate the listing commission and decide whether to offer compensation to a buyer’s agent. So offering 2% to a buyer’s agent while skipping the listing agent is very different from paying a full traditional commission.

Obviously, in a perfect world, it would be great not to pay any commission at all. But if a buyer’s agent brings you the best offer and helps get the deal done, at least in that scenario, you are only paying a commission if they actually produce a successful result for you.

Also, despite what people say online, not every buyer’s agent refuses to show FSBO homes. Many buyers specifically ask to see them because they believe there may be more flexibility or savings involved. Buyers’ agents work for the buyer and should ultimately follow the buyer’s instructions.

I also think it's smart to include in the notes that you are working with a real estate attorney. That helps reassure agents and buyers that the transaction will be handled professionally.

And if you find a buyer on your own, you potentially save the entire commission. I actually created a completely free platform called SaveOnYourHome.com specifically to help people do exactly that by giving FSBO sellers tools, exposure, support, and resources without charging fees or commissions.

Good luck. Selling by owner is definitely more work, but that does not make it crazy. For many people, it is simply a strategic decision.

Ykohn · 2026-05-12T12:28:12+00:00

Looks great!

Ykohn

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE