When purchasing or refinancing a new home or building, most lending institutions will require a termite inspection to know if the property has been damaged by termites or other wood destroying insects. If the home has any structural damage, the lending company will require the property to be treated and any structural damage be repaired by a license termite control company. But, why do these lending institutions require a clean bill of health on the presence of termites?
As most homeowners know, termites are responsible for a significant amount of damage to properties. The cost of treating and repairing these termite damage is estimated between $1 billion to $5 billion dollars per year. Repairing the damage that is made by such infestation will require homeowners to spend for them before they can even sell their homes. Annual termite inspections could have prevented much of that damage. However, for those who are planning to purchase a home, it is important to know if the property is sound and not a high risk investment.
Termite inspection is not required when purchasing or refinancing a home. The needed house inspection is done because most mortgage companies need the home or building to be free from termites and other pests that destroy wood before they will lend money to the buyer. These lending institutions need a qualified pest technician to make sure that the property is good.
What to Expect from Termite Inspectors
The use of a termite inspector is to provide a termite certification that will identify the condition of the property. These inspectors will list any damage observed and make recommendations as to whether the structure needs further treatment or not. Inspections made for termite certifications may only be to the visible areas of the property only and may not guarantee that termites or other wood destroying pests and the possible damaged made by them are not present in areas that cannot be seen.
- The inspector will have to check every room inside the structure such as the bedrooms, toilets and closets. They will also include the substructure area and attic.
- During inspection, they will be searching for signs of pests, leaking pipes, and moisture-damaged wood.
After the inspector completes the inspection, he will look over the result of the findings and will create recommendations to the homeowner or the building owner. If they find evidence of underground termite infestation, they will immediately recommend treatment even if there is no sign of active infestation in the main structure. In most cases, it is the buyer or buyer’s agent who will ask for a termite certification and the seller will be responsible for any treatment or repairs. It is necessary that the buyer gets a copy of the inspection report, before even making a deal on the property.
Why Buyers Need Termite Inspection
Buyers Guarantee
Before any potential buyers purchase a home, they need to request a termite inspection as part of the real estate transaction. This is to make sure that they know the actual condition of the property before doing the purchase. This will also ensure that the seller is aware of his home condition so that he can also remedy the situation.
Value of Property
The property value of any real estate transaction is very important since a house with a termite infestation may affect the value of the home. This will also be a key factor during the negotiation process.
Other Reasons
- A property with no findings of infestation will be valued higher than a home that is infected.
- A home owner finding infestation may remedy his property as soon as he becomes aware, thus making the property saleable to other potential buyers.
- Inspection can also result for a home owner to make treatment regular.
Preventive Pest Control provides thorough termite inspections and offers both residential and commercial treatments.