Should You Buy An Otherwise Nice Home With Termite Damage?

Have you stumbled upon the house of your dreams, only to find that it has termite damage? This can be a frustrating scenario for a house hunter. On one hand, you don't want the home you adore to slip away, but on the other hand, you're not sure you want to deal with an insect problem and possible structural damage. Here's what you need to know about buying a home with signs of a past or present termite problem.

Termite infestations are "treatable"

This is not a permanent condition. Pest control companies have become better and better at treating termites over the years. While you may need to schedule ongoing visits with an exterminator if termites are prevalent in the area, they should be able to keep them at bay with the right mixture of pesticides and a few preventative measures on your part. (This may include keeping moisture under control and avoiding storing wood on your property.)

If the homeowner claims the problem has been treated, you'll want to verify

In many cases, if you are looking at a house on the market, the homeowner will tell you that they've had the infestation taken care of and that the termites are gone; all that remains is the damage they caused. You'll want to verify whether this is the case. Otherwise, if you buy the home with an active infestation, more damage may be done between the day you make your offer and the closing date.

Have a home inspector take a look at the home and confirm that the termites have indeed been eradicated. They can also let you know how extensive any termite damage is so that you have an idea of the amount of money you'll have to spend on repairs.

You can also look for signs of an active termite infestation yourself. If you see frass (hard, tiny pellets of black feces) near the chewed wood or trails of moist mud across it, these are indications that the termites have not yet moved on.

You could make an offer contingent on successful extermination

If you find that the termite infestation is still active, one option is to make the homeowner an offer contingent on successful extermination. What this means is that you agree to pay a certain price for the home after either they pay to have the infestation addressed. You'll wait a pre-determined period after the extermination to verify that the insects have been eradicated, and then the sale will be completed.

With this method, you're protected from actually buying a home with an active termite infestation. Do keep in mind, however, that it will still be up to you to fix any damage they've done. Keep this in mind when deciding on a fair price for the home. See a website such as deeevans.com for more information.