To answer this question, I have broken this article down into three sections. First, I'll give you some statistics on termites nationwide. Then, we'll discuss the dangers of buying a home without a proper termite inspection. Then finish off with why you should get an inspection if you're selling a home.
Here are the facts about termites.
In the United States each year, property owners pay over $5 billion to control and repair termite damage. Termite infestation affects approximately 600,000 residential homes, and those homes pay $3,000 on average to repair those damages. If we expand this to include all types of man-made structures and crops, and add all wood damaging pests, that $5 billion figure climbs to $30 billion. Are you nervous yet?
Here is what you need to know about termites when buying a home.
If you purchase a home and find termites after the sale, you are responsible for any damage those termites have done to the home. "But," you might say, "I had a certified home inspection." Termite infestations can be difficult to detect, and most certified inspectors are neither trained nor qualified to properly detect them. If you don't hire a certified termite inspector, you could be buying into a money pit.
Here is what you need to know about termites when selling a home.
You might ask yourself, "Why would I want to find out that I have termites in my home before I sell it? I can just let the new owners deal with them." You might be right. The new owners could miss those termites before they close on your home. But what if they don't? If they find termites, the months you spent finding a buyer will be lost. That is a lot of work down the drain. Plus, if you find termites before you sell your home you can fix the damages and pad the cost into your asking price. If you already have a buyer, you'll have to pay for the termite repairs out of your pocket. Your asking price will need to remain the same.
So, are termite inspection necessary?
Whether you're buying or selling a home, or simply concerned about protecting your investment, it is important to get a termite inspection. A professional pest control company can give you a risk management analysis, and offer monitoring and protection options that will keep your equity safe. Don't become part of the statistic when it is so easy and inexpensive to guard your home against wood chewing insects.