Quick answer: Under the as-is form copy I reviewed, a buyer may end the contract by written notice before the inspection period expires, and the deposit is returned. The seller has no required repair obligation, and any repair must be agreed in a signed written modification. That copy sets a 15-day inspection period if the blank is left empty, but it is an older brokerage version (Rev. 4/17), so confirm the deadline on the form you are signing. Loan programs can also require certain repairs before closing, which can override what a seller is willing to do.
"As-is" tells you the seller is not agreeing to make repairs. It does not mean the buyer loses every option when an inspection finds a problem. The buyer's leverage comes from the inspection period, the deadlines and the written agreements. Those, plus the lender's requirements, determine what happens next. This article explains the mechanics. It is general information, not legal advice about your contract.
A caution about the form
The Florida Realtors and Florida Bar "AS IS" residential contract is one of the standard forms used for Florida resale contracts. The copy I reviewed was a brokerage-branded version, footer dated Rev. 4/17. It is not the current official form, and secondary summaries disagree about the revision date and about some consequences. One says a seller's refusal to repair means the contract terminates. The copy I reviewed does not say that. Read the form you are signing, and ask your attorney to confirm the paragraphs and deadlines.
The inspection period
In the copy I reviewed, paragraph 12(a) sets the inspection period at 15 days if the blank is left empty, running from the effective date of the contract. The buyer may terminate by written notice to the seller before the period ends if, in the buyer's sole discretion, the property is not acceptable. The deposit is returned under that copy, and the buyer must pay for the inspections and repair any damage the buyer causes. The copy also says time is of the essence, and that a deadline falling on a weekend or holiday moves to 5:00 p.m. the next business day. Missing a deadline can end the options the contract gives you, so calendar it the day the contract is accepted.
What the copy does not require of the seller
The copy I reviewed has no repair-request procedure, no deadline for the seller to respond, and no stated consequence if the seller does not respond. Repairs require a signed written modification. That means a seller who is unwilling to fix something can simply decline, and the buyer's choices are to accept the property, negotiate a credit or price change in writing, or cancel within the inspection period. Verify each of those in the form you have.
Your practical options
When a report comes back with problems, buyers generally weigh four paths. They can accept the property as it is and close. They can propose a written repair, a credit or a price change before the inspection period ends. They can cancel by written notice before the deadline. Or they can get a specialist opinion, such as a licensed contractor's estimate or a structural engineer's evaluation, before deciding. Whichever path you pick, the notice and the proposal need to be in writing and delivered before the deadline.
What a home inspection report may not say
Florida's home inspection statute defines the inspection as a limited visual examination of readily accessible installed systems (s. 468.8311). The report must list components that were not inspected and the reason (s. 468.8323), but it is not required to include repair cost estimates. The inspection rule excludes predictions of future conditions. So a report can identify a problem without telling you what it costs to fix. Get contractor estimates for anything significant, and treat them as your own evidence in any negotiation.
Wood-destroying organisms
A wood-destroying organism (WDO) inspection is separate from the general home inspection. Under s. 482.226, a licensee who inspects for a real estate transaction and charges a fee, or who is asked to, must prepare a WDO report. The findings go to the person who requested the inspection, and the report must list the areas not inspected and any WDOs found. Ask whether a WDO report has been ordered and who receives it.
When loan programs require repairs
A loan program can require repairs even when the contract does not. For FHA, HUD published a May 2026 draft of changes to Handbook 4000.1. The draft says a lender may escrow repairs that cannot be finished before closing, that appraiser-required repairs can be added to the price if the borrower pays and the contract makes the borrower responsible, and that defects that cannot be corrected require rejection. That is a draft, not a final rule. For VA, a December 2023 advance notice on minimum property requirements refers to requests for waiver of repairs, and a secondary 2026 article says required repairs must be completed and re-inspected before closing. I did not retrieve the primary VA pamphlet. For USDA, an older Rural Development module requires a home to be structurally sound and in good repair, or placed in good repair with the loan funds. Repair escrow can apply when the work does not affect livability, costs less than 10 percent of the loan and finishes within 180 days. That is older guidance, so confirm the current rule with your lender.
Where I stop
I can explain what a contract paragraph says in plain language, organize the inspection results and help you calendar the deadlines. Explaining what a contract requires can move into legal advice, and Florida Realtors recommends involving counsel when a party's interest requires it. Unlicensed practice of law is a felony in Florida (s. 454.23), so the decision about notices, cancellation and disputes belongs with a Florida attorney.
Keep the claims accurate
Do not promise an as-is buyer a deal or the avoidance of repairs. Do not say that FHA, VA or USDA buyers can close as-is, because loan rules can require repairs or escrow. Florida's real estate advertising rules prohibit false or misleading claims (s. 475.25).
Questions buyers ask after an inspection
What is the default inspection period?
In the copy of the Florida Realtors and Florida Bar as-is form I reviewed, the period is 15 days from the effective date if the blank is left empty. That copy is an older brokerage version, so check the form you are signing.
Can the buyer walk away?
Under that copy, yes, by written notice to the seller before the inspection period ends, and the deposit is returned. Confirm the exact paragraph and the deadline with your attorney.
Must the seller make repairs?
Not under the copy I reviewed. The seller has no stated repair obligation, and a repair requires a signed written agreement. A seller who refuses to repair may leave the buyer with the options the contract provides.
Do FHA, VA or USDA rules change this?
Yes. Loan programs can require repairs or escrow before closing, even when the contract does not. The current FHA handbook text is in draft, VA's rules need the primary pamphlet, and the USDA guidance I found is older. Ask your lender for the current requirement.
Does a home inspection cover wood-destroying organisms?
Not automatically. A WDO report is a separate inspection by a licensee under s. 482.226, and the report lists the areas not inspected.
Talk with William. Inspection came back with problems on a Florida as-is contract? Send me the report and the contract. I will help you calendar the deadlines and organize the questions for your attorney and lender before the inspection period ends. Call or text (772) 800-2274 or send a message.
General information only, not legal advice about any contract. The as-is form copy described here is a brokerage-branded version, not the current official form; confirm all paragraphs, deadlines and remedies with a Florida attorney. Loan program rules are drafts or older guidance in places and change. Statute, rule and guidance references are as reviewed on October 20, 2026. William Merchant, REALTOR®, RE/MAX Gold. Each RE/MAX office is independently owned and operated. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Sources
- Brokerage-branded copy of the Florida Realtors and Florida Bar AS IS residential contract (Rev. 4/17; not the current official form)
- Lowndes Law: Florida residential as-is contract series, offer and closing timeline (secondary)
- Florida Statutes 468.8311, Home inspection services definitions (2025)
- Florida Statutes 468.8323, Home inspection reports (2025)
- Fla. Admin. Code 61-30.801, Home inspection standards (Cornell LII)
- Florida Statutes 482.226, Wood-destroying organisms reports (2025)
- HUD: Modernization of FHA minimum property requirements, HB 4000.1 drafting table (May 2026 draft)
- Orrick: HUD issues RFI on FHA single-family minimum property requirements (June 5, 2026, secondary)
- Federal Register: VA minimum property requirements advance notice (Dec. 11, 2023)
- VA appraisal repairs (secondary, 2026)
- USDA Rural Development: Existing dwelling notes (repair escrow, 7 CFR 3555.202)
- Florida Realtors: Professional boundaries, real estate vs. legal services (secondary)
- Florida Statutes 454.23, Unlicensed practice of law (2025)
- Florida Statutes 475.25, Discipline of real estate licensees (2025)
