| Author | Message | ||
     Midnightrider |
So we've been in Maryland/DC for 2 years, sold the house in NY, and looking to buy. The bubble definitely burst here - "buyers market" etc. Found a house we really like. One of 2 zip codes in Silver Spring where values are still appreciating. Like most of the homes here, it has been on the market for 270 days. Price has continued to drop ($625K down to $519K gradually over the last 9 months). It has everything we wanted. Getting ready to make an offer and there is a disclosure item stating there is "minor" termite damage that was discovered in Jan 2008. Since has been professionally treated/certified/guaranteed ....yada yada yada. I had been through the house carefully (I thought) twice and never saw it. Owners statement in the disclosure states he will pay for repairs or reduce the price accordingly. It will be a VA loan so I'm confident (sort of) that if it's a big problem they will say so with the VA home inspection I'm from upstate NY and can honestly say never had termites, never knew anybody who did. So here's the big question? Is this a showstopper? Is it the kiss of death or if the damage is truly minor is it reasonable to expect the problem is over ( with regular check-ups from the termite guys)? Obviously if nothing else this will be good ammo to require repairs AND a further reduction of price. Just want to make sure I'm not overconfident in the anti-termite treatment. Thanks Don ps - house built in 1973, full finished basement, 2 story colonial with 2 car garage if any of that is applicable | ||
| Corporatemonkey |
I think I read somewhere where most houses get termites (or some insect) at some point But saying that, if the damage was enough for there to be repairs, I would walk. Most people never notice things like this, unless it gets bad. If the owner is willing to work with you on this, then he is really motivated to get out of that house. What else it he hiding? Has your inspector said anything? (Message edited by CorporateMonkey on February 16, 2008) | ||
| Svo1023 |
Termites are nasty little buggers...i don't think i have lived in a house here in Florida that didn't have them at one time or another...The combination here is water and wood...for the sub-terranian type.. imo it would be in your best intrest to have a professional inspect it first... Mike | ||
| Nevrenuf |
imagine this for one second, your in the house now and a few months go by and as your looking around the outside of the house one day you notice some wood rot. well because your curious you say to your self, i can repair that no big deal. you take the wood off and find termite dust behind the wall and with further inspection(after you take some more wood off to see behind it) you notice that the structural studs are eaten away at the base. and from there, it snowballs. now your dealing with the exterior and the interior cause the little buggers like to chew up the paper on the drywall too. although the 1970's in general were good years for house building from what i've seen(my house is one) to many years of the chance for termites going unnoticed. now if you want to ease your mind a little take a finely tipped instrument(i use the smallest scewdriver on my leatherman when i do this) and prod around the outside of the house on any wood that you migh have. i've been a carpenter since 83, but although most of my work was commercial i've had some restoration jobs that i got pretty good at finding termite damage along with some house work for some friends. "LET THE BUYER BEWARE" | ||
| Glitch |
Getting ready to make an offer and there is a disclosure item stating there is "minor" termite damage that was discovered in Jan 2008. If it's been discovered, have them show you the repairs. Have the house professionally inspected, with that in mind. It wouldn't mean a deal stopper for me, but then again I live in the South, were bugs can get pretty mean. | ||
| Xbduck |
When you get it inspected again, tell the inspector they are looking for termite damage. If you don't they may not pay close enough attention and latter the disclaimer at the bottom of their contract will save their a$$ and screw you, seen it happen. Don't let the selling realtor get the inspector for you, sometimes, well you can guess what might occur. The idea about seeing the repair bill and getting a copy to your inspector is a great idea. Ask a pest control guy to take a look at the house as well and see if this is something that could happen again in the near future. They will usually tell you what to watch for. As you move farther south termites are a ever increasing possibility. Just be glad they didn't say carpenter ants, they are a real pain. | ||
| Ferris_von_bueller |
Midnightrider. Welcome to O'MalleyWorld - State of the tax and spend crowd. | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
I'd go for a smaller house and retire sooner.....ride more...work less... So you like to ride the streets of DC at midnight. Its one of the coolest place on a full moon night, about 70 deg. Reflecting pools.. I try to make Rolling Thunder every year.... | ||
| Lost_in_ohio |
Having dealt with termites in my house. I have a contract with a national exterminating company for way too much money. What ever chemical they are using slows the little buggers down but doesn't seem to kill them. The were coming out every couple of months for a "free" treatment. Earlier this year I put out those termite spikes from lowes. I put the bait out and after a couple of months they attacked it. I switched to the poison. That seems to have worked. The baits no longer have termites in them and I have not seen any new tunnels on the basement walls. It is winter too so that maybe slowing them down too. We are getting ready to put our house on the market and we were told by several of the realitors we interviewed that we would need to disclose it and provide proof of treatment. buying a house with termite damage up front? I just don't know if I would or not. I guess as long as your aware of it and have annual inspections for it, you should be ok. or buy the bait stakes and keep an eye on them. I guess it comes down to whether the damage has been repaired and how much I liked the house, location and price. | ||
| Reepicheep |
We had a house (cheaper little cape cod) that had some termite issues. Previous owner disclosed it, and gave us a transferable guarantee from national chain. We sold the house with no problem, disclosing it as well and passing the guarantee along. In our case, it was a water problem. Stop the water problem (which was easy, cracked seam in spouting) and it solved the termite problem. We noticed it not because there was any visible damage, but because there was a "termite bloom". Feels like a moment from a science fiction movie as they keep crawling out of every hole in the house, and me and Shelly are chasing them around with vacuum cleaners. Aside from the "this is kind of freakin me out" aspect of it, it was funny. So there are other ways to discover the termites then "major damage", and for us anyway stopping the water problem and getting an updated treatment solved the problem. It may be a bit of a headache when you go to sell may be the only real issue. | ||
| Pwnzor |
I've had several appraisers tell me that there are very few houses that don't have termites. If you live in a wooden structure, termites are a fact of life. What you need to do is take steps to minimize their effects. In answer to your question, no. Have a pest control company come out and give you a detailed report on where the termites are and the extent of their damage. I bought my house about 5 years ago, and there were "no" termites... ha ha ha... They're all over the place, and it kind of pisses me off that we didn't find them beforehand, BUT: The house isn't going to fall down, and this summer we'll be getting the orange oil treatment. Basically they inject all the wood in your house with orange oil and it wicks through after time. The buggers bite into it, and somehow it kills them. So, anyway I wouldn't let it stop you. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
You could just get a pet anteater and make the most of the situation? My house had termites when I bought it and it was part of the closing deal that the seller kill them off. The exterminators drilled holes in the perimeter of the floor in the basement and injected poison under the house. They gave me a waranty on the job too. almost a year into owning the house, I tore down some ugly paneling in the basement only to find that it was FULL of live termites. The termites weren't under the house, they were inside! I tore out all of the wood from the finished basement and it pretty much finished them. Then of course carpenter ants moved in. I am having major house renovations done now and there were two full colonies of ants living in my house. I guess if you're going to live in an organic house, you can expect organisms to try to live there too. My next house is going to be ceramic and stainless steel. | ||
| Guell |
If its minor i wouldnt worry about it. I do a lot of termite damage repairs. And they can range from very minor to very little wood left. I would have someone show you the repairs and the damage and go from there. It would not be a deal stopper for me, but then again i do that work everyday. | ||
| Nevrenuf |
some people are getting into having their house built with metal studs. was doing work on my old bosses house when one was going up across the street. pretty slick. other than that, i would rather have a cbs house.(concrete, block and stucco) |
