Shorten or waive inspection on an older Buenos Aires home?

A

AnikaHope

Seller
At ARS 1,078,000,000, removing the inspection entirely feels like too much risk. We have already missed out on two older coastal homes in Buenos Aires because other offers were less conditional, and our agent now suggests using a much shorter inspection period next time.

I understand why that could appeal to a seller, but a tidy viewing does not reveal the likely repair bill or any upcoming service charges. Would arranging access before the offer, or keeping a tightly timed contingency, provide a workable compromise? I’d be interested in completed local purchases where buyers verified the condition quickly without giving up the right to withdraw.
 
I would shorten the window before waiving it. Arrange an inspector who can attend quickly, subject to the seller allowing access. I would be wary of limiting the contingency to structure alone: water ingress, wiring or plumbing could still create a large immediate bill. Also investigate service charges separately, because a physical inspection will not tell you what payments or major works may be coming.
 
How much cash would remain after moving costs and the first mortgage payment? That matters more than whether the home looks tidy. Include the insurance excess and a realistic allowance for immediate repairs. If that leaves only a thin emergency fund, waiving protection is probably too aggressive. Furniture can usually wait; a necessary repair cannot.
 
That is the part we had not modelled carefully enough. We were concentrating on making the offer attractive rather than the first few months after completion. We can postpone most furniture, but I need to calculate the emergency fund after moving costs, the first payment and a repair allowance. I’ll also ask whether pre-offer access is realistic before deciding how narrow any contingency should be.
 
A shorter period can be a genuine compromise if the inspector is already lined up, but I disagree that a narrowly worded structural condition automatically makes the offer safe. Older properties can have expensive non-structural findings, and insurance may involve an excess or may not respond to an existing defect. The exact contract wording and local practice in Argentina should be checked with the appropriate adviser.
 
Before the next offer, I’d set a hard walk-away amount for inspection findings, confirm an inspector’s availability, and obtain the current service-charge amount plus any known upcoming work. Then total the purchase cash, moving costs, first mortgage payment, insurance excess and emergency repair reserve. A completed sale nearby may help with price, but it usually will not reveal what conditions the winning buyer accepted.
 
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