Answers by Hans Soderquist

If you haven’t had any showings in the first three weeks on the market, buyers are not recognizing value. But there are several reasons this can happen. If the photographs are high quality and the home is well (and accurately) described, the home is probably overpriced. But check for any other reason buyers might be holding off. Look for inaccurate or missing info in the listing (wrong taxes, wrong square footage or lot size) or incorrect address. If you and your agent feel the house is priced well for the current market, whether you wait or reduce the price is really about whether you need the sale to happen quickly. If you’ve had showings but no offers yet, lowering the price can prompt interested buyers to step up. Good luck!

With your real estate professional, discuss making code compliance a requirement (contingency) in your offer. Depending on the municipality, sellers may be required to file and clear retroactive permits for work like this, especially where there's a safety issue involved (like basement egress). Having the permit matter resolved before closing is best for your liability and peace of mind.

This is no doubt very upsetting. If your inspection indicated no sign of active leaks it does not sound like you would be successful getting the seller to pay for repairs. In theory, the inspector has some liability if there were in fact signs of an active leak at the time of the inspection. This is why inspectors carry errors and omissions insurance. Take a close look at your inspection photos and speak to an attorney to understand better what your remedies might be if the inspector made a mistake.

Carpet, particularly upstairs, has some advantages for minimizing sound transmission and warmth. Because it can be difficult to know exactly what buyers may prefer, replacing worn carpet can be a time-efficient and cost-effective way to make your home more marketable. Take photos once the old carpet is up so you can share what the subfloor material and its condition is with interested buyers.