You’ve gone under contract on a home in Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, South Miami, Pinecrest, Brickell, or Miami Beach. Inspection comes back. Now it’s not just palm trees and floor plans — it’s roof age, AC life, electrical notes, and plumbing comments.

And the big question hits:

“Do we ask the seller to fix this… or ask for money instead?”

This is where deals are either tightened up or blown up. My job is to keep you in the driver’s seat.

When it makes sense to ask for repairs

Requesting repairs can work when:

• The issues are clear and specific
  Think: a non-functioning AC zone, a clearly leaking pipe, missing GFCI outlets, a broken window, a dead water heater.

• The seller is motivated and local
  If they’re still in town, engaged, and want a smooth closing, they may be open to checking off a focused repair list.

• Timing still allows it
  If we have enough runway before closing, repairs can be scheduled, completed, and re-checked.

The upside:
You walk into a home where some of the problems are already handled.

The downside:
You’re trusting the seller’s contractor, their standard, their timing — not yours.

When a credit is the smarter play

In many Miami deals, especially at higher price points, I lean toward credits over repairs:

• You choose your own vendors and quality level.

• Work is done on your timeline, not in a rush before closing.

• We avoid last-minute arguments over whether something was done “well enough.”

A credit can come as:

• A straight closing cost credit, or

• A price reduction (sometimes better if we’re tight on appraisal risk).

Credits are clean. They let you solve the problem your way — which, in a $1M–$5M+ market, is often the better experience.

The hybrid solution: mix both

Often the best move is a blend:

• Seller handles a few non-negotiable safety or functionality items (like an active leak or a life-safety electrical issue).

• You take a credit for more subjective or larger-scope items (older AC, worn roof, aging systems).

That way, you’re protected where it really matters, and empowered where your taste and standards come into play.

Here’s how I think in every inspection negotiation:

“What gets you to closing feeling relieved, not resentful?”

If you share an inspection summary with me, I can tell you exactly which items I’d push as repairs, which I’d convert into credits, and where I’d hold the line so you end up with both a beautiful Miami home and a smart deal.