You bet you can ask! Whether you're looking at homes in Waxhaw, Fort Mill, or anywhere in the Charlotte metro area, negotiating repairs and closing costs is totally normal – it's all about how you ask and what the market looks like when you're buying. Here's the deal: if you're in a seller's market (which has been pretty common in areas like Ballantyne and Weddington lately), sellers have more leverage and might tell you to take a hike if you ask for too much. But if you're looking at a home that's been sitting on the market for a while, or if it's winter when things slow down in Indian Land and Marvin, you've got more room to negotiate

I always tell my clients to pick their battles – asking for $20,000 in repairs on a $300,000 house is probably not going to fly, but asking for $2,000 in closing cost help? That's totally reasonable. When it comes to repairs, focus on the big-ticket safety items that came up in your inspection. Things like electrical issues, plumbing problems, or HVAC repairs are fair game. Cosmetic stuff like paint colors or outdated fixtures? Probably not worth the fight in our competitive Charlotte metro market. A good strategy is to ask the seller to contribute a lump sum toward repairs rather than asking them to fix specific items

That way they don't have to manage contractors, and you get to choose your own people. For closing costs, sellers can typically contribute 3-6% of the purchase price depending on your loan type. So on a $400K house in Fort Mill, that could be $12,000-24,000 – not pocket change! This can be especially helpful if you're stretching to get into one of those great school districts in Weddington or if you want to save cash for moving and decorating. Just remember, if you ask for seller concessions, you might need to offer a higher purchase price to make the deal work for everyone.