Path 1: proceed as-is
If the report contains no surprises and you accept the home's condition, sign off the inspection condition and move forward. This is the most common outcome on a well-priced home that has been maintained.
Path 2: negotiate
Negotiation in Alberta typically takes one of three forms: a price reduction, a credit at closing, or seller-completed repairs before possession. Price reductions and credits are usually preferred — they put you in control of the work and the contractor selection. Anchor every ask to a written quote where possible.
Path 3: walk away
If the inspection reveals major undisclosed issues — structural movement, extensive water damage, undisclosed Kitec with insurance refusal, dangerous wiring — and the seller won't address them, walking is sometimes the right call. The condition exists exactly for this scenario.
What deserves negotiation
Safety items (electrical hazards, gas safety, structural). Major-repair items with quotes (roof replacement, furnace replacement, foundation work, full re-pipe). Items the seller would have known about but didn't disclose. Cosmetic and deferred-maintenance items rarely move a deal and using them aggressively can lose you the home.
Build a 5-year budget from the report
Use the report's deferred-maintenance and monitor categories to build a year-by-year homeowner budget. Knowing the furnace has 5 years left, the roof has 8, and the hot water tank has 3 lets you cash-flow the next decade rather than absorb surprise capital hits.
