If you are basing your demand on inspections, I believe it is appropriate for them to ask for a second opinion and for you to be open minded about it. You had the right to just walk but you said “I want the house and 25K”. It ‘s reasonable for them to suspect an extortion is is occurring and verify.(I am not saying that is what you are doing). I wonder if you walk, without letting them get a second opinion, if they could refuse to give your deposit back for specific performance reasons? Haven’t been through this before so I hope there is more discussion on it. I know if it happened to me or my client I would find out all the particulars.