Originally Posted by skippitydodahquilts
We're going to make an offer tomorrow morning. It's on the market for $135,900 and we're making an offer of $130,000, and she needs to either fix the floor in the kitchen (the laminate is coming apart and it's cracked, which they tried to hide with a rug) and she needs to have a door replaced (she cut a huge hole in the bottom!), or she needs to give us an allowance to fix it ourselves.
The backyard needs a total overhaul and it's just...really dirty. Like, not messy, but dirty and unclean (mold in the coffee pot!). The whole thing is just really weird, but if she rejects our offer, she has to take it off the market (according to her agent).
Every lender that I know of requires an appraisal of the property to determine if the value meets the sales price. If the appraisal comes in with no landscaping in the back yard, for instance, then the value reflects that. Repairs are usually all negotiable. The seller will determine if your offer is acceptable or not. If not, they will reject it or counteroffer. They do not have to take the house off the market if you offer less and they don't accept it. If this is the house you want, then I hope it works out for you!
It sounds like your agent needs to do a better job of preparing you for the process. You do have your own agent representing you? I don't mean to be mean, but his/her job is to see that you understand all of these processes. I wish you luck.