Buying a Home with Radon in Chicago (2013, neighborhood)

[new-gal]

I am in the process of buying a house, but it turns out to have radon. Because most houses in Chicago don't have radon, I am worried that I can't sell it down the road. Would you buy a house with radon in Chicago?

[starlitwanderer]

Radon is a cancer risk wouldn't that also be a concern for you? Aren't you the one posting about a neighborhood for a young family? Do you have kids? Maybe think about that before resale value.

[Kluch]

You should be more worried about the cancer risk. You'll need to get it mitigated. I think we paid about $1200 back in the day to have our basement mitigated for radon.

[glass_of_merlot]

Originally Posted by new-gal

I am in the process of buying a house, but it turns out to have radon. Because most houses in Chicago don't have radon, I am worried that I can't sell it down the road. Would you buy a house with radon in Chicago?

What do you mean most houses don't have radon? I doubt many houses are even testing for radon. Especially older homes.
By the way, it's nothing to mess around with. Radon is a radioactive gas. You should have it taken care of asap. I just bought a house , brand new and had it mitigated for radon. 700 dollars was the total cost for a 1100 foot basement.

[new-gal]

Hi all. Thanks for the response.

I did some research. Radon can be mitigated all the way to as low as the natural environmental level (0.3) The health risk can be controlled. @Kluch, nowadays most systems cost 2.5k. Our situation is tricker than most, and I think it is going to cost more than 2.5k. I am still waiting for my specialist to give me a firm quote. @glass_of_merlot, I think your house was built on or after 2013. All new houses have radon pipes; if radon is a problem, people only need to buy a fan and connect to these pipes.


In fact, in the suburbs, radon problems and radon mitigation is quite common. A high proportion of the houses have them. Because of this, people won't be turned off by the presence of radon and a great mitigation system will probably be viewed as a plus. There may not be any impact to resale value.

However, in the city, most people are not familiar with radon. My agent told me that only one out of ten people test radon. None of the other houses we have seen have radon mitigation systems. (Chicago is in EPA zone 2 and most houses probably have levels below 4.) This is to say, the problem is not very pervasive in Chicago and people are not familiar with it. As such, even if we put in a great system that can get radon level to the environment level, it feels like it can still scare away potential buyers down the road. That's why I was asking if people would just pass on the house on hearing the word 'radon?'

[guidoLaMoto]

The radon non-problem is a boondoggle...Sellers are required in IL to mitigate the problem-- basically just increase ventillation of basements by a "licensed specialist." Costs a couple $Gs.

The statisticians have to torture the numbers vigorously to get them to confess to causing cancer-- extremely small differences in rates in some, but far from all, studies....Good example of strong lobbyists influencing dumb politicians to get the regs in place.

Radon exists only temporarily as a gas when Uranium degrades over time into Lead. (There are no Radon Mines.)...If you got Radon, you got Uranium..and radiation from U needs three feet of concrete to stop it, not just a sheet of paper like the radiation fom Radon.

It's a legal problem for the seller, not a health problem for the buyer.

[ToriaT]

You will have to pay to get it mitigated. Lots of companies do it. they install fans and piping to vent it out. Its not that big of a deal.

[flamadiddle]

As mentioned, radon is everywhere and the problem is exaggerated. If above normal levels were detected the seller will need to put in a radon mitigation system. Costs a couple grand and you're done. Not a reason to not buy a home.

[Hiruko]

Originally Posted by new-gal

I am in the process of buying a house, but it turns out to have radon. Because most houses in Chicago don't have radon, I am worried that I can't sell it down the road. Would you buy a house with radon in Chicago?

Radon is more common than you might think in the Chicagoland area. I know people who have purchased homes that tested positive for radon. Radon mitigation is relatively inexpensive and very effective. I would not hesitate to purchase a home with a radon mitigation system.

[Arya Stark]

A lot of people believe Radon is exaggerated so yes, there would be a lot of people who would buy it and not even test.