Key Takeaways
•The short answer: Sort your Natick inspection report into three tiers. Then make one focused, documented request for repairs or a closing credit before you sign the purchase and sale agreement (P&S).
•The reality: Inspections almost always find something. In a 2019 national Porch homebuyer survey, 86% of buyers said their inspector found at least one problem.
•The legal backdrop: Massachusetts rules on inspection waivers have been changing. Ask your attorney or agent what applies to your offer.
•The condo catch: Buying a Natick condo? Get the association's 6(d) certificate before closing. No inspection can catch unpaid fees.
Why Is Your Inspection Report So Important Before Closing?
That inspection PDF is your best independent record of the home's condition before you fully commit.
After the inspection, you usually have three choices:
•Ask the seller to make repairs.
•Ask for a price reduction or a closing credit. A closing credit is money the seller takes off what you owe at closing.
•Walk away under your inspection contingency, if your offer includes one.
An inspection contingency is the clause that lets you exit or renegotiate based on what the inspector finds.
The goal is not to ask for everything. Ask clearly, with proof, before the P&S is signed.
How Should You Sort Findings in Natick's Older Homes?
Many Natick homes are older colonials, capes, and mid-century ranches, so their reports can run long. That doesn't mean the house is falling apart. As the 86% Porch figure shows, findings are normal.
Why Skipping the Inspection Is a Real Risk
A snapshot contrasting the national share of buyers who waived inspections with the share of surveyed buyers who said an inspection found at least one issue.
Inspection risk indicators
Buyers who waived home inspections in 2024Nearly 25%
Homebuyers reporting at least one problem found in inspection86%
Source:Porch homebuyer survey (archived copy, 2019) (as reported); Buyers lack protection for home inspections in New York, push for change continues | Buffalo Toronto Public Media
Use a simple three-tier system:
•Tier 1, Must Address: knob-and-tube or overloaded electrical, water entering the basement, roof failure, unsafe heating, signs of a buried oil tank, and asbestos or radon flags.
•Tier 2, Costly but Not Urgent: an aging boiler, water heater, or roof, plus old windows. These may be better handled with a closing credit or price adjustment.
•Tier 3, Normal Ownership: cosmetic wear, loose hardware, and minor caulking. Let these go so your real requests stay strong.
Radon is common in parts of Massachusetts, so a radon test is a smart add-on. If levels come back high, you can ask for mitigation or a credit.
New York inspector Larry Ames told Buffalo Toronto Public Media that missed issues can mean "a new roof, a front porch, new electric service... tens of thousands of dollars." That is the point of Tier 1: protecting your savings, not nitpicking paint.
How Do You Make One Strong Ask Before the P&S?
As a general guideline, the American Society of Home Inspectors says buyers often have 7-10 days from signing the offer to complete inspections. Check the exact deadline in your signed offer.
Typical Real Estate Offer Timeline Milestones
Text-heavy timeline guidance for offer response, inspection, purchase-and-sale signing, mortgage contingency, and closing windows.
| Category | Offer timeline |
|---|---|
| Typical offer response timeframe | 24 hours |
| Example unreasonable seller response request | 2 hours |
| Home inspection timeframe from signing the offer | 7-10 days |
| Typical time between offer and P&S signing | 10-14 days |
| Typical mortgage contingency period | 4-6 weeks |
| Common closing timeframe range | 30-90 days |
Plan your negotiation right away:
•Send one written request. Focus on Tier 1 items and only the most important Tier 2 items.
•Attach proof. Use the inspector's photos, report notes, and quotes from licensed pros when possible.
•Consider a credit when closing is close. A credit lets you choose your own contractor after closing.
•Be careful with seller repairs. Require a clear scope, licensed contractors, receipts, and approval at the final walkthrough.
Your closing attorney should put the final terms into the P&S. Also ask your attorney or agent whether current Massachusetts rules affect a seller's ability to ask you to waive the inspection.
What Pushback Should You Expect From the Seller?
You might hear, "The seller will just move to the next buyer."
In a competitive market, that can happen. But a short request limited to safety and major systems gives a seller less reason to walk away than a long wish list. If the seller refuses a critical repair, a typical inspection contingency lets you withdraw and get your deposit back if you act before its deadline. Have your attorney confirm how yours is worded.
You may also hear, "Repairs and credits are not the same."
That is true. A repair can fix the problem before closing, but a rushed, cheap fix can leave you worse off. That's why any seller repair should come with licensed contractors, receipts, and a check at the final walkthrough. A credit gives you money toward the cost, subject to lender and attorney approval. Always confirm credit limits with your lender.
Buying a Natick Condo? Why Do You Need the 6(d) Certificate?
Your inspection covers the unit's physical condition. It does not show whether the current owner owes condo fees.
You might think condo finances are your closing attorney's job. Your attorney usually does order and review the 6(d) certificate. But because the inspection can't reveal what the seller owes, this document belongs on your checklist too.
Under M.G.L. c. 183A, § 6, the association can collect up to six months of unpaid fees ahead of your lender's mortgage, so the seller's unpaid fees can become your problem. A title search, which checks public records for claims against the property, can look clean while those fees are still owed.
The 6(d) certificate is the association's binding statement of what the unit owes. Ask early who is ordering it, and make sure it arrives before closing.
Also ask for the budget, the reserve fund balance (the association's savings for big repairs), and any past or planned special assessments, which are extra one-time charges to owners. Have your attorney review all of it.
How Do You Close With Confidence?
Price and location got you to the offer; the inspection protects you from here. If you want help reading a Natick inspection report before your P&S deadline, send it over.
Tier the findings. Make one documented ask. Confirm the 6(d) certificate if you are buying a condo.
