Buying a home with radon? (for sale, asbestos, gated)

[Rainbow2011]

Have any of you experienced high levels of radon in home? A lovely older home for sale completely remodeled has disclosed high levels of radon and seller "corrected" issue with radon mitigation system.
1) how does this affect resale?
2) have any of you dealt with this pre or post purchase?

I also wonder if some sellers don't disclose lead, asbestos and radon as many of the older homes select "don't know". This seller has disclosed it but the carcinogenic nature and ongoing testing/maintenance concern me.

[Brian_M]

I have direct experience with Radon (and mitigation). What it boils down to, at the root, is resale of the property. Some people (myself included) opt to not believe the scare tactics/hype about radon (there are places all over the world where people flock and pay big $$$ to have spa vacations in radon caves, it's seen as therapeutic ~ I know a few people who've been doing those vacations for several decades and swear by it ~ I'm not to THAT level, but I just don't believe that it's worse for you than the hormones given animals that provide meat, milk, eggs and cheese or the chemicals applied to vegetable crops).

Anyway.... so long as there's a mitigation system in place and the radon levels test EPA acceptable, only a Very tiny percentage of buyers would be turned off. I bought a house that didn't have a mitigation system and had the sellers pay for that as a condition of the sale because of resale value... I knew someone Else would ask me to do it. It's a simple and fairly fool-proof setup (PVC pipe and a fan), the fan is easily user replaceable. When you're near it, it's audible (about like a computer fan), but that's about the only negative. We sold that house for more than we had in it during the midst of the housing collapse in 2009.

I'm sure lots of homes are sold without disclosure of lead, asbestos, radon, mold, and every other "OMG, that's TERRIBLE!! We're all gonna DIE!" catch word. Never mind the generations of families who lived happily and without issue with all of those things before it was known to cause issues. Lead is simple, don't chew on painted surfaces (for children and elderly ~ healthy adults have no worries). Asbestos too, it's fine so long as it's undisturbed (and generally fine unless you expose yourself to it daily for years on end).

But the bottom line Still comes back to resale. It's not what *YOU* are comfortable with and willing to accept, but what potential buyers are comfortable with and willing to accept. By the time you sell, there may well be the next "OMG!!" substance that the house is simply chock full of and renders it as worthless ~ just mitigate what can be mitigated and forget the rest.

[Tarzanman]

I'm not sure I'd trust a post about Radon or asbestos that tells you to "only worry about what you're willing to accept". The only valid point Brian_M makes is that most people are unaware as to the prospect of potential radon issues whereever they live.

That being said, the fact that there is a problem with this house has already been established so it doesn't make any sense to bury your head in the sand and pretend as if the situation doesn't exist. Do your research. Radioactivity is a well established carcinogen. At the very least a conscientious seller should have the radon level and radioactivity levels in the house measured (if not monitored)... with or without a mitigation system installed.

[caragitana]

It only takes a few hours to have a radon mitigation system installed.
The simple system just vents from a pipe in the ground to just over & away from your house solving the issue.
Negotiate with the seller and have them pay the costs.

[Newsboy]

I don't know Ray Don, but he sounds like a pretty cool dude and probably make a fine roommate if you were to buy a house with him!