What you need to know about buying a home with a past history of termites

Imagine you’ve been house hunting for what seems like ages when you finally discover the perfect home. It’s in a great neighborhood and has a beautiful property. The colors and style of the house match your preferences with exactness. But there’s one problem: you’d be buying a home with termite damage.

What should you do in this scenario? Should you run the other way as quickly as possible or accept the challenge of restoring a termite-damaged home? Before you make a decision, here are a few things you should know about termite damage and termite treatment options.

Learn if the infestation is ongoing or under control

When you first notice signs of a termite infestation (such as piles of droppings that look like wood shavings or hollow-sounding wood), you need to find out if it’s still an ongoing problem or if it has been handled already.

If a termite problem has been handled, it means that the pests have not only been eradicated, but the home has been fixed to avoid future infestations. For example, if the prior infestation occurred because of firewood stored next to the home, the wood should have been removed by now.

Even if the homeowner tells you the problem and its root cause have already been addressed, it’s still important to hire a termite professional from KY-KO Pest Prevention to conduct an inspection before buying a home with termite damage.

Determine if the damage can really be fixed

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.

It typically takes up to 10 years or more for termites to cause enough damage that it’s considered impossible to repair. That’s good news for you as a homebuyer. To give yourself some peace of mind, hire a licensed contractor to see if the damage is mostly cosmetic or if it’s structural (which is more costly).

Sharpen your bargaining skills

There are potential benefits to buying a home with termite damage. As long as the problem has been treated and isn’t current, it may be worth it to buy the home if you’re trying to save money.

To get the best price on a termite-damaged home, hone your bargaining skills. The best way to do this is by hiring a professional to conduct a home inspection. When evidence of termite damage has been found, use it to bargain with the homeowner about price. It can become a great negotiating tool.

Of course, it’s probably not worth it to bargain about the price of a home that’s damaged by termites if there’s evidence of a current infestation. To help you make that decision, you’ll need to take the advice of your home inspector and pest control professional into account.

Schedule a homebuyer’s termite inspection

Ready to schedule a termite inspection on a home you’re thinking about buying? Contact us through our convenient online form to get things set up.