What to Do After Your Pre-Listing Inspection

Inspection findings just came back on your listing. Whether the buyer ordered an inspection during the option period or you had a pre-listing inspection done before going to market, the outcome is the same: there is a list of findings in front of you and a closing deadline on the calendar.

In most DFW transactions, it is the buyer who orders the inspection. Their inspector walks the property during the option period, documents everything they find, and the buyer’s agent uses that report to put together a repair amendment. The seller often never sees the full inspection report. What lands in your agent’s inbox is the formal repair amendment listing the specific items the buyer wants addressed.

If you had a pre-listing inspection done before the home went to market, you have more context than most sellers. But the process is the same once a buyer is under contract. You still respond to their formal repair amendment, not to your own inspection report.

Either way, this is the moment most DFW sellers get overwhelmed. It does not need to go that way.

Fix Before Closing handles post-inspection repairs for real estate agents and home sellers across the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Here is exactly what to do after inspection findings come back on your listing.

How Inspections Actually Work in DFW Transactions

Most DFW home sellers never order their own inspection. What happens in a standard transaction is this: the buyer goes under contract, their agent orders an inspection during the option period, and an inspector walks the property and produces a written report. That report typically runs 30 to 80 pages depending on the home’s age and condition.

The seller usually does not receive that full report. What the seller’s agent receives is the repair amendment. That is the formal written request the buyer’s agent prepares using the inspection findings. It identifies the specific repairs or credits the buyer wants addressed before closing. The amendment is usually a fraction of the full report. Where the report might document 60 findings, the amendment typically asks for 8 to 15.

If you had a pre-listing inspection done before going to market, you have seen your own inspection report. That gives you a head start in understanding what is likely to come up. But once a buyer is under contract and their inspector walks the property, it is their findings and their formal amendment that drive the negotiation.

Fix Before Closing works from the repair amendment. When agents submit the negotiated amendment, we quote every line item on it.

The 5 Steps DFW Sellers Should Take After Inspection Findings Come Back

Most sellers either freeze or overreact when inspection findings land. Neither helps. Here is the process that keeps your closing on track.

1. Read the repair amendment carefully, not the full inspection report. If your agent has received the buyer’s formal amendment, that is your actual scope. Wait for the buyer’s formal request before spending anything.
2. Talk to your agent before you spend anything. Your agent knows what buyers in your price range typically push for in a DFW repair amendment and what they let go.
3. Wait for the formal repair amendment if you have not received it yet. The buyer’s agent will submit a written amendment during the option period, which in most DFW transactions runs seven to ten days.
4. Get a contractor estimate on the amendment, not the full inspection report. Fix Before Closing returns a line-item estimate covering every item on the amendment so you know exactly what each repair costs before you respond.
5. Respond to the amendment with a clear position. Once you have an estimate, your agent can negotiate from a position of knowledge. You either agree to the repairs, offer a credit, or negotiate a combination.

Which Findings Show Up in DFW Repair Amendments Most Often

Texas homes have specific patterns. The climate, the soil, and the age of DFW housing stock produce inspection findings that repeat across transactions.

Electrical Findings

GFCI outlet failures are the most common electrical finding on DFW inspection reports. Inspectors flag them in every kitchen, bathroom, garage, and outdoor outlet location where ground fault protection is required. Double-tapped breakers, exposed junction boxes without covers, and panel labeling issues round out the electrical list on most reports. Buyers agents push hard on electrical because lenders require these items on FHA and VA transactions.

Plumbing Findings

Water heater findings come up constantly. Texas requires water heaters to be strapped against movement, have a working TPR valve, and be properly vented. Running toilets, leaking supply lines, and undersink drain issues are also high-frequency findings. Hard water in the DFW area accelerates deterioration on supply lines and fittings.

HVAC Findings

In a climate where air conditioning runs eight to ten months a year, HVAC findings are taken seriously by buyers agents. HVAC certification from a licensed technician is the most common ask, and it often resolves the concern without requiring a full system replacement.

Safety Item Findings

Smoke detectors and CO detectors come up on nearly every report. Texas requires working smoke detectors in specific locations and CO detectors in homes with gas appliances. Garage door reverse sensor failures are equally consistent.

What Sellers Get Wrong About Inspection Repairs

The biggest mistake sellers make is trying to fix everything in the inspection report before seeing the formal amendment. That almost always leads to overspending on items the buyer never formally requested and underspending on the items that are actually holding up the deal.

The second most common mistake is hiring the wrong contractor. Inspection repair work requires licensed tradespeople who understand closing timelines. A general handyman who cannot pull permits or produce a completion certificate creates problems at the closing table.

The third mistake is waiting too long to get an estimate. Option periods do not wait. Every day without a contractor quote is a day where the buyer has less confidence the repairs will get done.

How the Repair Amendment Narrows Your Scope

Once the buyer submits the formal repair amendment, everything gets specific. Instead of responding to 60 pages of inspection findings, you are responding to a negotiated list that typically runs eight to fifteen items.

That amendment is what agents submit to Fix Before Closing. We review every line item, schedule a site visit if needed, and return a line-by-line estimate covering every repair requested. One project manager handles everything from the initial estimate through completion and documentation.

How Fast Inspection Repairs Get Done in DFW

Timeline depends on scope. Most standard repair amendments complete within five to ten business days.

• Electrical repairs including GFCI replacement, breaker corrections, and panel work: two to three business days
• Plumbing repairs covering water heater compliance, supply lines, and drain work: one to three business days
• HVAC certification and minor service work: three to five business days
• Roofing repairs covering flashing, sealant, and minor shingle work: two to four business days
• Safety items including smoke detectors, CO detectors, and garage door sensors: same day or next day

Multi-trade amendments run on parallel schedules when possible. Fix Before Closing coordinates all trades to overlap rather than sequence, which compresses the total timeline and protects your closing date.

How Fix Before Closing Handles the Repairs

Fix Before Closing is a post-inspection repair contractor built specifically for DFW real estate transactions. We do not do general remodeling. We handle one thing: getting the repair amendment completed before your closing deadline with documentation the lender and closing attorney can use.

Your agent submits the repair amendment through fixbeforeclosing.com/repair-request/. We send back a line-item estimate covering every item. Once approved, we schedule all licensed contractors, coordinate with the seller, complete the work, and hand the agent the documentation for the closing file.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to fix everything the inspector found?

No. In most DFW transactions the seller never receives the full report. What matters is the buyer’s formal repair amendment. You respond to the amendment, not the raw inspection report.

What does my agent need to submit to Fix Before Closing?

Your agent submits the repair amendment through fixbeforeclosing.com/repair-request/. Include the inspection report for context and photos. The amendment defines the scope.

Can Fix Before Closing handle multiple trades on one job?

Yes. Electrical, plumbing, HVAC, roofing, and general carpentry all come under one repair request. One project manager coordinates every trade from estimate through completion.

Do your repairs satisfy FHA and VA lender requirements?

Yes. All work is completed by licensed and insured contractors and documented with photos, receipts, and completion certificates.

What cities in DFW does Fix Before Closing serve?

We serve ten cities across the Fort Worth side of the Metroplex: Keller, Fort Worth, Euless, Grapevine, Haslet, Hurst, North Richland Hills, Roanoke, Saginaw, and Southlake.