Should I Buy a House with Termites?

Table of Content

• Negotiate termite damage repairs
• Hesitant About Buying a Home That Had Termites?
• Negotiate on price as needed
• What are my other options?
• How Many Homes Does a Realtor® Sell a Year, and Should You Care?
• Handle the repairs before you list the home on the market
• Should You Buy a House With Termite Damage? Pros and Cons of a Pest-Infested Property

If selling your home “as is,” HomeLight’s Simple Sale is a fast, convenient option that can provide you with your first, no-obligation cash offer for your home. Reinforce the damaged wood with new support boards — a less costly option. Skip all the hoopla of repairs, showings, and listing and sell the home “as is” to a cash buyer.

Damage can take up to eight years to appear in a colony, depending on the size. Termite infestation is one of the most common pest problems in homes, and homeowners should take preventative measures to keep it at bay. Termite treatments are typically priced between $3 and $16 per linear foot.

Negotiate termite damage repairs

Most cases of termites are very treatable, and it's the sellers who pay for eradication and repair if the bugs and their damage turn up on inspection. A key element to keep in mind when determining if you want to deal with termite damage is where the damage is in the home. Buyers will want to pause for a moment after discovering termite damage in the home they intend to purchase.

Read on for information on termite inspection costs, why other companies may charge you to get one, and how to prepare for a home termite inspection. Although some companies charge for termite inspections, with Terminix, initial termite inspections are always free. Once you know about termites, the next logical question is who will pay for repairs and treatment to send those pests packing? Buying or selling a home is one of the biggest financial decisions an individual will ever make. Our real estate reporters and editors focus on educating consumers about this life-changing transaction and how to navigate the complex and ever-changing housing market. From finding an agent to closing and beyond, our goal is to help you feel confident that you're making the best, and smartest, real estate deal possible.

Hesitant About Buying a Home That Had Termites?

If the owner is clever and vicious enough, he will repair a small damage that is visible and not reveal the real damage that was done to the structure of the house. I don’t want to upset you, but even an absence of any of those signs doesn’t mean that termites are not present. In case of frass the infestation most likely is an active one, because otherwise the owners would already clean it away, as it’s something easy to hide. The frass is normally a pile of something that looks like a sawdust, in the places the sawdust has no reason to be. Window and door sills, wooden framing, furniture, if any of those have the frass under – you bet there are termites eating their way through the wood. It doesn’t take much time to get the building infested, even if the construction was finished yesterday, the wooden structural elements can have the colonies already thriving in them.

They’re a nuisance to homeowners in 49 out of 50 U.S. states — and they especially love warmer climates. When you have a good idea of the type of neighborhood you'd like to move into, it's time to contact a real estate agent. For more information on termites, home damage, real estate and related topics, check out the links on the next page. If termite damage is spread in various parts of the house, there may be cause for concern.

Negotiate on price as needed

Otherwise, you could end up spending a lot of money on repairs that could have been avoided. Termite damage can be serious and expensive to repair, so it’s important to catch it early. Taking steps to prevent termites from entering your home in the first place is the best way to protect against this type of termite damage.

Control costs can range from $1,200 to $2,500 depending on the size of the house, and you will probably need a few thousand more for repairs. If the seller refuses to deal with the infestation or cover your extra costs, then you should walk away from the deal. While professional termite repair may restore termite damage, homeowners should first contact a termite specialist for assistance. If a licensed pest control company has found no termites remaining, it should not be necessary to make any repairs until the risk of further termites infestations has been eliminated. When buying or selling a home, there are many factors to consider, from the condition of the home to the terms and conditions of the sale.

According to both real estate and pest experts, you should be safe to move forward on a home purchase with mild to moderate termite damage. Yes, termites are a pest and yes, they can do serious damage but most mild to moderate termite damage is quickly fixed with an exterminator and contractor. While some termite damage is visible to the naked eye, much of it tends to be hidden deep inside a home’s wood components. For that reason, it’s essential to find out if the damage can really be fixed or if it will require extensive repairs.

Inside your home, check for signs of frass, which is termite feces, as well as any hollowed out wood. If you discover any of these signs, you may have a termite problem and should contact a professional for further assessment and treatment. Ensure that you clearly share with potential buyers that you intend to skip repairs or treatment for the property. Depending on what the inspector finds, the initial inspection may lead to a more specialized pest inspection for deeper assessment. Termite inspection costs can range from $50 to $280, according to data from HomeAdvisor, and cost $100 on average. Termite inspection is a component of termite inspection packages offered by many home inspection companies.

Terminix, along with most pest control companies, provides free termite inspections. Termite letters are an inspection report that confirms that a home has been inspected for any signs of insects that could cause structural damage. This document can provide buyer with peace of mind because it ensures that they are not purchasing a damaged home. Termite treatment is available for both subterranean and drywood termites from Terminix. Termites are a common pest problem that can cause major damage to your home and property. While some species of termites are beneficial to the environment, they can be very destructive when they infest a home or other structure.

Termite damage is costly and extensive, so it is critical that you take the necessary precautions to protect your home against these pests. Companies such as Terminix and Orkin provide free pest inspections and consultations, allowing homeowners to avoid costly termite repairs. It may also be necessary to access attics in areas where drywood termites are present in order to inspect them for a New Jersey Termite Inspection. Termite and pest inspections in Trenton, NJ, typically cost between $65 and $170, but this varies depending on the size and complexity of the property and how extensive the infestation is. They cause a staggering $5 billion in property damage in the United States each year. Termites can strike at any time, so you should pay close attention to any damage that has occurred to your home.

The termites prefer wood that has been damaged by moisture and needs to be constantly exposed to high humidity and water. Although dampwood termites are less destructive than other species, they can cause thousands of dollars in damage to homeowners. To avoid dampwood termite damage, homeowners should inspect all water-damaged wood and fix any leaks or moisture issues in roofs and decks. Termites must be kept at bay in South Carolina in order for homeowners to live a healthy and long life. Termites are capable of destroying a home from Greenville to Spartanburg, as well as from Hilton Head to Charleston to Myrtle Beach, and they can spread all over the state.

The cost of a termite inspection may vary depending on the size of the home and the local market, but on average it can range from $50 to $250. A qualified pest control specialist should be consulted in order to properly inspect the home and identify any potential termite infestations. This type of inspection can help protect the buyer from costly damages in the future, so it is important to make sure that it is done properly before signing a contract.

A free homeowner's inspection is different from a real estate transaction termite inspection, which is usually required by the mortgage lender and/or insurer. With this type of inspection, the termite professional inspects for termites and other wood-destroying insects and organisms and issues a formal report. In the case of a home loan, some states require the buyer to pay for the termite inspection. On the flipside, other states require the seller to pay for the inspection.