How the Arizona Inspection Period and BINSR Work

Oct 13

In Arizona, the standard purchase contract gives the buyer a 10-day inspection period by default. Before it ends, the buyer sends a BINSR (Buyer's Inspection Notice and Seller's Response) listing what they want addressed, the seller has 5 days to respond, and the buyer then has 5 days to accept that response or cancel. On $1M+ homes in Chandler and Tempe, this is where most deals get tested.

How long is the inspection period in Arizona?

Ten days is the default on the standard Arizona contract. It's a fill-in blank, though, and some buyers shorten it to make their offer more appealing. The days are calendar days, so weekends count.

Think of the inspection period as the buyer's homework window. Inspections happen here. So does reading the seller's disclosure, checking insurance, and reviewing HOA documents. It's one piece of the larger escrow timeline I cover in what happens after your home goes under contract in Arizona.

A word to buyers: ten days goes fast. Book your inspectors the day your offer is accepted, not the day after.

What inspections do buyers order on a $1M+ home?

A bigger home has more systems, and each one costs more to fix. So buyers at this price point usually go past a single general inspection. Here's a typical lineup, though every house is different.

General home inspection. The full walk-through of structure, roof, plumbing, electrical, and appliances.
Pool inspection. Equipment, surfaces, and safety features. Pool equipment is expensive to replace.
Roof inspection. A closer look by a roofer, which many buyers add on larger or older roofs.
HVAC inspection. Larger homes often have more than one AC unit, and replacing one in Arizona is not a small check.
Sewer scope. A camera runs through the main line. This matters more on older homes, like many of the custom homes in South Tempe.
Termite report. In Arizona this is the Wood Destroying Insect Inspection Report, or WDIIR.

If a property has a well or septic system, those get their own inspections too.

How does the BINSR work, step by step?

Once the inspections are back, the buyer fills out the BINSR before the inspection period ends. On it, the buyer can accept the home as is, cancel the contract, or list the items they want the seller to fix or address. Even if the buyer cancels, they still list what they disapproved of, according to the Arizona Association of REALTORS.

The seller then has 5 days to respond. A seller can agree to all of it, agree to some of it, decline all of it, or offer something different in an addendum. If the seller doesn't respond in time, that counts as a refusal.

Then the buyer has 5 days to decide. They can accept the seller's answer and move forward, or cancel. That's the whole loop: 5 days for the seller, 5 days for the buyer.

Should a seller offer a repair or a credit?

Both can work. Here's how I'd look at it.

Repairs keep the price the same, but the seller has to manage the work. Agreed repairs must be finished, with paid receipts, 3 days before close of escrow unless the BINSR sets another date. If you're selling, hire people who will show up on time. A rushed repair can turn into a second negotiation at the walkthrough.

A credit lets the buyer handle the fix their own way after closing, which many buyers like. But if the buyer has a loan, the lender has to allow it, and some loan programs cap how much credit a buyer can receive.

The Arizona Association of REALTORS also advises writing it as a plain closing cost credit rather than a credit "in lieu of repairs," to avoid a fight later if the work costs more. Any change to the contract also goes to the lender and escrow company.

A price reduction is a third option, but on a financed deal it also changes the loan, so check with the lender first.

How can sellers get ahead of the inspection?

The best BINSR is the one with nothing surprising in it. A pre-listing inspection lets you see what a buyer's inspector will see, weeks before a buyer ever does. You can fix what's worth fixing, price around what isn't, and stop guessing.

A pre-listing inspection also makes your disclosure stronger. Anything you know about, you have to disclose, so think it through with my post on what Arizona requires you to disclose. Buyers trust a seller who tells them the truth up front, and that trust tends to show up in a calmer negotiation.

Inspection results can also feed into the appraisal conversation if repairs or credits shift the numbers. If that's a worry, read what happens if a $1M+ home appraises low. And for how prep, pricing, and inspections fit together on my listings, here's how your home gets sold.

All the timing above comes from the standard Arizona purchase contract. Forms get updated, and your signed contract controls, so check your own dates.

Quick answers

What is a BINSR in Arizona?

BINSR stands for Buyer's Inspection Notice and Seller's Response. It's the form a buyer uses during the inspection period to list issues and ask the seller to fix them, or to accept the home or cancel.

How long does a seller have to respond to a BINSR?

Under the standard Arizona contract, the seller has 5 days to respond. If the seller doesn't respond in time, it counts as a refusal, and the buyer then has 5 days to accept or cancel.

Does a seller have to fix everything on the BINSR?

No. A seller can agree to all, some, or none of the requests, or offer something different like a credit. The buyer then decides whether to move forward or cancel.

If you're getting ready to sell and want to know what an inspector is likely to flag, let's talk before you list. Call or text me at 480-448-2020, or book a time to talk.

Ben Graham

You’ve made it. Now you want a home that finally feels like it.

Since 2011, I’ve helped move-up and move-in buyers do exactly that across South Tempe and South Chandler. More land, more quiet, more character, without leaving the city behind. If you’re buying or selling above $1M in South Tempe or South Chandler, you want an advisor who knows the ground, not a salesperson who knows a script.

That’s the whole job, and it’s the part I love most.

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Ben is a husband, father, and full-time real estate advisor based in Chandler. Since 2011, across more than 500 transactions, he’s guided buyers and sellers through the Southeast Valley’s best neighborhoods.

His approach is simple: teach the market like a teacher, protect your equity like it’s his own, and tell you the truth even when the truth is “wait.” Clear communication, a proven plan, and your interests first.

Most of Ben’s clients fall into two camps.

The move-up buyer who’s outgrown a great starter home in Chandler or Tempe and is ready for something that feels like an arrival. More space, more privacy, more character, same easy access to four freeways, great schools, and Sky Harbor.

The move-in buyer relocating from out of town who needs someone who actually knows which street holds its value and which one only looks like it does.

He also represents sellers across South Tempe and South Chandler who want their home priced right in week one and marketed like the asset it is.

Faith and family are the center of how Ben lives and works. He’s a follower of Christ, a husband, and a father, raising his kids in Chandler with his wife Sarah. The family is active at CCV, the kids attend Valley Christian, and they support foster care and adoption. One of their sons joined the family that way.

Clients often tell Ben his faith is part of why they trusted him with one of the biggest decisions of their lives. He doesn’t take that lightly.

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