So we had an offer on our property in Auburn, WA about a month ago (we’ve had two offers now).  As part of their inspection results, they requested several items which simply didn’t, and still don’t, make sense.  Specifically, the buyers required that the foundation and electrical wiring be updated to 2008 code requirements.  It’s a 1941 home, not 2008; code changes don’t apply retroactively (for single-family homes, anyway).  There’s no problem with the existing foundation (i.e. slippage, cracks, etc) or wiring, so why (sh)(w)ould someone demand that a 1941 home be updated to 2008 code requirements?

We agreed to the buyers’ others requests but said no on these two items —  “No, we’re not going to rip walls out [which are lathe and plaster – not nearly as quick, painless, or ‘clean’ to demolish and replace as drywall] to replace wiring nor make foundation structural changes.”  Seems logical to me.  Surprisingly, though, the buyers walked.  Their agent’s message was that it “wasn’t good enough.”

Now, I understand this is a buyer’s market, I’m not an idiot (sometimes, anyway).  I understand that when you’re in a buyer’s market, and you want to sell, you sometimes need to play the dumb game of acquiescing to what are sometimes frivolous requests.  So we did that for all the other requests, we acquiesced.  But wiring and foundation?  No.

Maybe I’m just too dang proud, and 1yr from now when the property remains vacant and unsold I’ll wish I’d acted differently, but at this point, anyway, it still doesn’t make sense.