Here's the part of the deal where good sellers lose money two ways: they panic and agree to fix everything, or they dig in and refuse a $60 item that talks the buyer right out of the house. We've sat on both sides of this table, and the move is almost always somewhere in the middle. Let's walk through your actual options.
Quick context first. After the buyer delivers the BINSR, you have a 5-day window to respond in writing. (New to the form? Start with what a BINSR is and how long the seller has to respond.) Whatever you put on that form is binding once it's delivered, so it pays to know your numbers before you commit.
Option 1: Repair all requested items
You agree to correct everything the buyer asked for. This is the cleanest path and it keeps the deal moving with the least friction. The risk is only when you say yes before you know what the work costs. We've seen sellers casually agree to a "roof item" that turns into a four-figure surprise. Agreeing to everything is a fine move, as long as you agreed to it with a real quote in hand.
Option 2: Repair some items
You agree to correct certain items and decline others. This is where smart sellers live. The instinct from buyers (and inspectors) is to list everything, but you get to be reasonable. Safety and habitability items, like exposed wiring, a gas issue, missing detectors, or an active leak, are the ones worth saying yes to. Truly cosmetic stuff is fair to pass on.
One honest tip that saves real money: don't refuse the cheap items. Fighting over a $40 outlet or a tube of caulk to "win" the negotiation is how a deal dies over nothing. Knock out the small, easy ones and hold your line on the genuinely expensive, debatable ones.
Option 3: Decline all repairs
You can respond that you'll correct none of the items. It's your right, and in a strong market it's sometimes the right call. Just know it hands the next move to the buyer, who then decides to accept the home as-is or cancel and take their earnest money back. Going to zero works best when you've priced the list and decided you'd rather find a new buyer than do the work. Going to zero out of frustration is usually how you end up back on market.
The fourth move: a cash credit in lieu of repairs
Plenty of deals close on a credit instead of, or alongside, repairs. You give the buyer a dollar amount and they handle the work after closing. It's fast and it gets you out of coordinating contractors. Two things to know: lenders cap how large a seller credit can be, and a big credit can raise questions at appraisal. A credit is a great tool, but it has guardrails, so loop in your agent and lender.
- Get a real number first. Before you agree or decline anything, know what the requested items actually cost. Guessing is how sellers overpay.
- Say yes to safety, be reasonable on cosmetics. It's the response buyers and lenders respect, and it keeps you off the hook for a wish list.
- Don't die on the cheap hill. The small fixes are not worth losing a buyer over. Spend your leverage on the items that matter.
- Compare repair vs. credit honestly. Sometimes writing a check is smarter than managing the work. Sometimes it isn't. Run both.
This is exactly why we built BINSR Builders the way we did. You send us the BINSR and we hand you one complete, itemized quote within 24 hours, every trade, paint and drywall included, with no quote fee and no padding. That way your response is built on real numbers, not a panic guess. See how it works, or if you're an agent, here's how we make you look good to your seller. Curious who actually pays in the end? Read who pays for repairs after a home inspection in Arizona.
Frequently asked questions
What are a seller's options on a BINSR?
Agree to correct all requested items, correct some of them, or decline to correct any. You can also offer a cash credit in lieu of repairs where the parties agree. The response is delivered in writing within the 5-day seller response period.
Is a repair credit better than doing the repairs?
It depends. A credit is fast and lets the buyer control the work, but lenders limit how large it can be and it can affect the appraisal. Doing the repairs guarantees the work is complete and documented. Many sellers do a mix of both.
What happens if I only agree to fix some items?
The buyer typically has 5 days to accept your response and move forward, or cancel and recover their earnest money. The BINSR is not meant to be a second open-ended round of price negotiation.
Responding to a BINSR this week?
Send it over and get one complete, itemized quote in 24 hours, so you respond with real numbers and keep the deal alive.
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