FAQ
Form 35R Inspection Response for Washington Buyers
Form 35 creates the inspection contingency. Form 35R is the structured response and repair-request process buyers use after the inspection findings arrive.
The three paths after inspection
Within the Form 35 inspection timeline, a buyer can approve and proceed, request repairs or concessions through Form 35R, or terminate as the contingency allows. Those rights are only useful while the negotiated deadline remains open.
Schedule the inspection promptly after mutual acceptance. A late inspection, slow report, or a request opened at the end of the period leaves no room for a meaningful response or counteroffer.
How the Form 35R negotiation works
The buyer asks for specific repairs, a closing-cost credit, or a price reduction. The seller may agree, decline, or counter; the buyer can accept, counter, or terminate within the applicable timeline if agreement is not reached.
Lead with health, safety, structural, water-intrusion, and major-system findings. A focused, well-supported request is more persuasive than a long list of cosmetic issues and keeps the negotiation centered on real risk.
Repairs, credits, or price reduction
Repairs put the seller in control of contractor, quality, and timing. A credit lets the buyer control the work after possession and is often the cleanest result, though lender limits can cap usable credits. A price reduction can fit larger findings that cannot be handled through a credit.
Cross-check findings with Form 17. A disclosed and supposedly repaired issue that still appears in the inspection report calls for a different conversation than a completely new discovery.
Next Steps for Buyers
Start with the protection that applies before the inspection occurs.
Compare inspection findings with the seller's written disclosures.
See where inspection scheduling and response deadlines fit in the full timeline.
Understand when a credit can be a practical inspection outcome.
Common Buyer Questions
What is Form 35R in Washington?
NWMLS Form 35R is the inspection response and repair-request form used to ask for repairs, a price reduction, or a closing-cost credit after an inspection contingency.
Can a buyer back out after inspection in Washington?
Within the negotiated Form 35 inspection timeline, a buyer can generally terminate based on inspection and preserve earnest-money protection when the contingency is followed correctly.
Should I ask for repairs or a credit?
Credits often give the buyer more control, while lender limits and the nature of the finding may make a price reduction or pre-closing repair the better fit.