Twelve items on the inspection report. Fourteen days until closing. VA loan in play.
That is the situation a Keller, TX home seller found themselves in when their buyer’s inspection came back on a single-story home in Keller. The sellers had already arranged their move. Their next home was under contract. Walking away was not an option.
What happened over the next two weeks is a straightforward example of what post-inspection repair coordination looks like when it gets handled right. Here is how it went.
The Situation: 12 Items, VA Loan, 14 Days
The inspection report flagged 12 items across multiple categories. The buyers were using a VA loan, which meant certain items were not negotiable. VA appraisers flag specific safety and habitability concerns, and the loan will not fund until those conditions are cleared by a licensed contractor with documentation.
The full list:
- Federal Pacific electrical panel, recalled brand
- GFCI outlets missing in both bathrooms, kitchen, and garage
- Water heater pressure relief valve showing active corrosion
- HVAC not reaching setpoint, suspected refrigerant issue
- Dryer vent terminating into attic instead of exterior
- Active leak under master bathroom vanity
- Roof flashing separation at chimney transition
- Two non-functioning electrical outlets in master bedroom
- Pool gate latch not self-latching, current code violation
- Garage door auto-reverse not functioning
- Three windows with failed seals, fogged interior
- Attic insulation below recommended level for Texas climate
The sellers’ first instinct was to offer credits on everything. Their listing agent recommended they call Fix Before Closing before responding to the buyer.
Day 1: Triage Before Responding
Fix Before Closing reviewed the report the same day it was received. Every item went into one of three categories before any response was drafted.
VA Loan Required: Must Complete Before Closing
These items had to be resolved with licensed contractors and documented before the VA appraiser’s re-inspection. Offering a credit on any of these would not satisfy the loan condition.
- Federal Pacific panel, VA appraisers flag recalled panels automatically
- GFCI outlets in all required locations
- Water heater PRV corrosion, active safety concern
- Dryer vent into attic, fire hazard
- Active leak under master bathroom vanity
- Pool gate latch, code violation with safety classification
High Priority: Recommend Completing
Not lender-required, but leaving these unresolved would almost certainly trigger buyer escalation or credit demands well above actual repair cost.
- HVAC refrigerant issue, buyers consistently escalate HVAC findings
- Non-functioning outlets, buyers test these during final walkthrough
- Garage door auto-reverse, inexpensive safety fix
- Roof flashing, visible and buyers associate roof items with expensive future problems
Credit Appropriate: Lower Priority
These were legitimate findings but unlikely to threaten the transaction if handled with an accurate, documented credit offer.
- Failed window seals, cosmetic, functional windows
- Attic insulation, upgrade recommendation, not a defect
This triage gave the sellers a clear action plan before they responded to the buyer’s agent. They knew what to schedule, what to complete, and what to handle with a credit. Their response went out on Day 2, specific, organized, and backed by a plan.
Days 2 Through 11: Parallel Contractor Execution
Rather than scheduling contractors in sequence, Fix Before Closing coordinated three trades simultaneously. Work began on Day 2.
Electrical: Days 2 and 3
A licensed electrician replaced the Federal Pacific panel on Day 2. Full-day job, completed with permit. On Day 3, the same electrician returned to install GFCI outlets in all required locations, both bathrooms, kitchen, and garage, and corrected the two non-functioning master bedroom outlets. All electrical work documented with contractor license number, permit number, and completion confirmation.
Plumbing: Day 3
The water heater pressure relief valve was replaced and the connection re-soldered. The active leak under the master bathroom vanity was traced to a failing compression fitting and repaired in the same visit. Both plumbing items completed same day, fully documented.
HVAC: Day 4
The HVAC contractor diagnosed a refrigerant undercharge, common in Texas after a heavy cooling season. System recharged to factory specification and tested to setpoint. One visit. Documented.
Roofing and Exterior: Days 5 and 6
The roofer addressed the chimney flashing separation on Day 5. While on site, the crew also re-sealed exterior caulking at window and door penetrations at no additional charge.
Miscellaneous: Days 7 and 8
The dryer vent was rerouted to exterior through a new wall penetration by a licensed contractor. The pool gate latch was replaced with a self-latching model meeting current code. The garage door auto-reverse was a sensor alignment issue resolved on site in under 30 minutes.
By Day 11, all VA-required repairs and high-priority items were complete. Every repair had a written completion document: contractor name, license number, scope of work, and date.
Day 12: Credit Documentation for Remaining Items
For the two remaining items, failed window seals and attic insulation, Fix Before Closing helped the sellers obtain actual contractor quotes before finalizing the credit offer. The credit amount was tied directly to those written estimates, not a round number pulled from thin air.
The buyer’s agent received the full package on Day 12: completed repair documentation for all 10 repaired items, plus a credit backed by written contractor estimates for the remaining two.
No counter. Credit accepted same day.
What Made This Work
The sellers did not have a contractor network. They did not know which items the VA appraiser would flag. They had 14 days.
Four things changed the outcome:
- Triage in 24 hours. Categorizing 12 items before responding gave the sellers a clear action plan. They were leading the process, not reacting to it.
- Parallel scheduling. Three trades working simultaneously compressed what could have been a multi-week repair list into 11 days.
- Documentation at every step. Every repair came with written documentation formatted for the VA underwriter. No delays chasing paperwork in the final days.
- Credit backed by real quotes. The credit offer was tied to actual contractor estimates. It was accepted without counter because it was defensible.
What This Means for Your Transaction
A 12-item inspection report is not unusual for Texas homes. What determines whether it delays your closing or costs you the deal is how quickly and strategically you respond in the first 24 to 48 hours after the report lands.
Sellers who wait, guess at costs, or try to credit their way through lender-required items lose time they do not have. Sellers who triage immediately, schedule licensed contractors, and document everything keep their closing date.
If your transaction involves a property investor or landlord coordinating maintenance after closing, McCaw Property Management at mccawpropertymanagement.com handles residential property management across Dallas-Fort Worth and can help structure long-term maintenance planning.
For sellers in the immediate closing window, Fix Before Closing handles the post-inspection repair execution. We know what VA lenders require, what buyers look for at re-inspection, and how to move fast without creating new problems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Fix Before Closing handle VA loan inspection repairs in Keller, TX?
Yes. We handle VA-required repairs including recalled electrical panels, GFCI outlets, water heater safety items, and code violations. All work is done by licensed insured contractors with full documentation for the VA underwriter.
How fast can you turn around a repair estimate in Keller?
Submit your inspection report through the form at FixBeforeClosing.com and we will send back a line-item estimate. We move quickly because we know how tight option periods are in the DFW market.
What if we have multiple trades on one job?
That is exactly what we do. Plumbing, electrical, HVAC, roofing, and general carpentry all under one repair request. You are not calling four different contractors.
Do you serve areas around Keller like Southlake, Grapevine, and North Richland Hills?
Yes. We serve Keller and all surrounding Tarrant County areas including Southlake, Grapevine, North Richland Hills, Hurst, Euless, Roanoke, Saginaw, Haslet, and Fort Worth.
Submit repair requests anytime here:
Repair Request Form
Contact us today:
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- Email: manager@fixbefore.com
- Phone: 817-438-0079
- Email: manager@fixbefore.com
