One of our readers asked me this question via email. She is planning on purchasing a house and she has a great deal on the price of the house. One thing she’s worried about is that during the house inspection, the inspector found some signs of termite damage. The inspector couldn’t find any live termites, but the damage was visible. The owner of the house was willing to pay for the repair, which is around $2,000. Should she sign the contract or just walk away?
This is really a tough question to answer without looking at the house myself. If the termite damage was minor, according to the inspector, I’d consider purchasing the house after proper repair and treatment. But the real problem is what you can not see. Termite damage is usually done inside walls or places where we can’t see.
If I were the buyer of that house, I’d invest a few hundred dollars for professional termite inspectors who actually check inside the walls and climb inside the ceiling, and etc. I’m not talking about big franchise termite control companies whose reps are usually more into sales. I’m talking about professional termite inspectors who do only that. It will be a great investment for you. Even ask the homeowner to pay or share the inspection fee.
Personally, I’d walk away from the deal if I see any signs of termite damage, even if it’s a minor one. I’ve seen my house crumble down because of these little termites myself, so I’m a little biased. If you have the deal that you can’t refuse, I’d invest in a few professional termite inspectors who have a great reputation.