Not a conversation anyone thinks of when buying a house but getting a wood-destroying insect inspection can save you a headache and a lot of money. The FOCUS on NoVA Real Estate Team tells you how.
Wood-destroying insects, not something any homeowner or potential homeowner wants to deal with, but if left alone these little critters can cause hundreds or thousands of dollars of damage and severe harm to your home. Here are some things to think about if you are selling or buying a home.
First and foremost if you are a seller, the contract it has the option of the buyer choosing to have a wood-destroying insect inspection or not. Should they have an inspection and they do find either damaged or active wood-destroying insect infestation, it is written into the contract that the seller is obligated to address the issue: If there is an active infestation the seller must have the issue mitigated; and if there is any damage from wood-destroying insects that those areas are fixed.
On the buyer side, when writing your offer you have the option of choosing to have an inspection or not. One thing that you definitely want to check before you write that offer is to find out if the wood-destroying insect inspection is a lender requirement as some lenders do require them to happen.
When it comes to getting the test done, my suggestion is to have it scheduled within the time frame you have the home inspection. When your home inspector comes out they will look for signs of wood-destroying insects and if they see something that may be an infestation or damage they will note it. This does not count as your wood-destroying insect inspection. You have to work with a specific company that focuses on this to have them come out and do a test. This is a minimal cost, typically under $100, and can be paid for in your closing fees.
The company will come out and take a look at the property to find out if there is any wood-destroying insects or damage. If damage or active infestation is found the reports are sent over to the seller for it to be mitigated.
If you have any questions about Northern Virginia real estate, reach out as we are happy to help.
