Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Would a mortgage be available on a house with this preexisting condition?
How was the inspector found, through the agent? Is there any disciplinary action against the agent/broker/company? Things to find out before a consult.
Is the property at a highpoint or low point on the street?
Frankly, in the south, a few spots of mold even in the crawlspace is not too concerning, but this seems systemic. Insurance should cover it if its from a new covered peril such as a new water leak, but not preexisting.
I'd walk, but would have real issues loosing $3,000. The mold seems systemic for lack of a better term. The $3,000 would be just the start of money spent on this issue.
Mold is a big deal. It is even linked to cognitive impairment in some people, though the research is still ongoing.
I'm under contract for a 1900 house that has been empty for a couple of months. When you walk into the house, it has that dank musty smell that I feel is mold but the inspector and realtor acted like they had no idea what I'm talking about. The home inspector then found a large area of mold on the floor of the crawl space as well as several spots of mold on the near wall. We also found mold spots on the air vents in 3 of the bedrooms and mold spots in the bathroom cabinets.
There is a sump pump in the basement but no vapor barrier or anything else. There are no filters in the intake vents inside the house, gutters are clogged, no soil grading or sloping away from the house.
The realtor says I now need to pay 500$ to have the mold tested and get an estimate for a remediation to bring to the negotiation table with the seller. I am ready to walk but this is NC and the seller has 3000$ of my nonrefundable due diligence fee. I feel uncomfortable spending another 5
As I said above... the details matter. The amount and scale of mold found really matters. If people hear the word mold and clap their hands and say "OMG YOU SHOULD WALK!" they're being foolish or they've never actually owned or cleaned a house. Mold and mildew happen in life and you will need to just deal with it as a homeowner... almost anywhere at some point.
Mold in a crawl space... crawl space needs more ventilation vents or a space fan. If there's a source of moisture worry about and mediate THAT. Sounds like there is dampness that has called for a sump pump, and moisture barrier is needed. What is the source of the moisture and is it a problem?
Mold Near wall - is this also in the crawl space or in living space? Solution depends on answer.
Mold On air vents... metal air vents? Wipe down with cleaning product. Is there mold in the vent ducts or just on the vent covers? answer matters.
Mold In bathroom cabinets.... is/was there a leak under a sink at some point? Is it dry now? Fix leak, spray/ wipe down with cleaning/bleach solution. If it was BAD such that water dripped for some time compromising cabinet, think about whether you want to remodel this bathroom and replace the cabinet.
Put filters on intakes. These cost a few dollars.
Grading issues... is a warning made on a lot of homes. It needs to be looked at with perspective. Is this the source of problems or not? Seller is not going to re-grade the lot
Gutters can be cleaned. And probably will need to be cleaned regularly if they are full.
Basically, you have an inspection report that could be written about a LOT of homes on and off the market. Most are regular maintenance issues homeowners regularly deal with. Whether your seller will fix them for you now depends on your seller, and your deal on this house. In our market these are not repairs that would likely be granted. Too many buyers out there who would not ask for things like this.
A good agent will listen to you and your particular needs in a house. If that means you need a perfect house because you have no means or interest in fixing anything, then I hope you have a high price point also. Because a low price and a perfect house probably doesn't exist. A good agent should advise you to walk away if there are expensive flaws in the home that you can't afford to fix. But a good agent should also advise you that every inspection report will have items on it that need attention, and that some things are more serious than others. You and your agent have seen this house and this report. We have not. You and your agent should look through this with perspective. Ask the inspector for perspective and advice on correcting the problems before deciding to ask for any repairs or deciding to walk away.
I personally don't see anything in this post that should call for a mold remediation company unless maybe the mold in the crawl space is more extensive and the cure more complicated than I am picturing.
Houses that have been closed up for a few months with no heat or ac WILL smell musty and stale. I've seen this many times, particularly when we were looking at a lot of foreclosures with the power turned off. Is that all it is? Is there any source of water or dampness or just a closed up house? The answers to these questions, that only you have seen, matter.
Last edited by Diana Holbrook; 06-28-2023 at 11:24 AM..
As I said above... the details matter. The amount and scale of mold found really matters. If people hear the word mold and clap their hands and say "OMG YOU SHOULD WALK!" they're being foolish or they've never actually owned or cleaned a house. Mold and mildew happen in life and you will need to just deal with it as a homeowner... almost anywhere at some point.
Mold in a crawl space... crawl space needs more ventilation vents or a space fan. If there's a source of moisture worry about and mediate THAT. Sounds like there is dampness that has called for a sump pump, and moisture barrier is needed. What is the source of the moisture and is it a problem?
Mold Near wall - is this also in the crawl space or in living space? Solution depends on answer.
Mold On air vents... metal air vents? Wipe down with cleaning product. Is there mold in the vent ducts or just on the vent covers? answer matters.
Mold In bathroom cabinets.... is/was there a leak under a sink at some point? Is it dry now? Fix leak, spray/ wipe down with cleaning/bleach solution. If it was BAD such that water dripped for some time compromising cabinet, think about whether you want to remodel this bathroom and replace the cabinet.
Put filters on intakes. These cost a few dollars.
Grading issues... is a warning made on a lot of homes. It needs to be looked at with perspective. Is this the source of problems or not? Seller is not going to re-grade the lot
Gutters can be cleaned. And probably will need to be cleaned regularly if they are full.
Basically, you have an inspection report that could be written about a LOT of homes on and off the market. Most are regular maintenance issues homeowners regularly deal with. Whether your seller will fix them for you now depends on your seller, and your deal on this house. In our market these are not repairs that would likely be granted. Too many buyers out there who would not ask for things like this.
A good agent will listen to you and your particular needs in a house. If that means you need a perfect house because you have no means or interest in fixing anything, then I hope you have a high price point also. Because a low price and a perfect house probably doesn't exist. A good agent should advise you to walk away if there are expensive flaws in the home that you can't afford to fix. But a good agent should also advise you that every inspection report will have items on it that need attention, and that some things are more serious than others. You and your agent have seen this house and this report. We have not. You and your agent should look through this with perspective. Ask the inspector for perspective and advice on correcting the problems before deciding to ask for any repairs or deciding to walk away.
I personally don't see anything in this post that should call for a mold remediation company unless maybe the mold in the crawl space is more extensive and the cure more complicated than I am picturing.
Houses that have been closed up for a few months with no heat or ac WILL smell musty and stale. I've seen this many times, particularly when we were looking at a lot of foreclosures with the power turned off. Is that all it is? Is there any source of water or dampness or just a closed up house? The answers to these questions, that only you have seen, matter.
All are note worthy however...
If the OP's other posts are any indicator to this particular house, the "1900" mention in the original post is the year it was built. That alone is a "Red Flag" along with the other deficiencies- especially in NC; where the weather is basically no different than here in the ATL.
An interesting part of this whole thing is the "Due Diligence Fee". As per NC state law-
DUE DILIGENCE FEES
In order for the buyer to get this optional due diligence period in North Carolina, the buyer must pay a due diligence deposit, which is payable when you sign the contract. The due diligence fee is a negotiable (by your realtor) and is typically between $500 and $2000, depending on the market competition and on the purchase price of the home. Just like the earnest money deposit discussed in our other blogs, a higher due diligence fee makes your offer more enticing to a seller. But be careful, as the Due diligence fee is not refundable.
Why is the Due diligence fee not refundable? The due diligence fee is paid directly to the seller and buys you, the buyer, the exclusive right to inspect the home and close on the contract at your election. The fee compensates the seller for taking their home off the market and preventing others from having the same right to inspect and buy. Think of it like buying a first right of refusal. You may close if you’d like to, or you may walk away but the the fee is paid and is generally not refundable. There is only one exception (if the seller breaches the contract). If you, the buyer, decides to buy the home, the due diligence fee gets credited towards the purchase price.
I would say that the OP's agent (there is an assumption here) did not do a good negotiation of the fee- and/or the seller is quite savvy by requiring the fee knowing full well what the condition of the house is in!
I'll stick with my initial statement- WALK! The only underlying factor that might make "me" reconsider, it's asking price is approaching $100k under market value/comp's- cause that is probably what it would take to bring it up to a good/reliable/safe/marketable house.
There's a big difference between freaking out over mold in a house you already own, and committing to its treatment in a house you don't own. In the latter case you MIGHT find that a few hours with bleach, some vapor barrier, etc., end the issue. OR you MIGHT find that you've got to put many tens of thousands of dollars into it to get it OK for habitation and forever after have to disclose everything that was done if you ever want to sell.
An interesting part of this whole thing is the "Due Diligence Fee". As per NC state law-
DUE DILIGENCE FEES
In order for the buyer to get this optional due diligence period in North Carolina, the buyer must pay a due diligence deposit, which is payable when you sign the contract. The due diligence fee is a negotiable (by your realtor) and is typically between $500 and $2000, depending on the market competition and on the purchase price of the home. Just like the earnest money deposit discussed in our other blogs, a higher due diligence fee makes your offer more enticing to a seller. But be careful, as the Due diligence fee is not refundable.
Why is the Due diligence fee not refundable? The due diligence fee is paid directly to the seller and buys you, the buyer, the exclusive right to inspect the home and close on the contract at your election. The fee compensates the seller for taking their home off the market and preventing others from having the same right to inspect and buy. Think of it like buying a first right of refusal. You may close if you’d like to, or you may walk away but the the fee is paid and is generally not refundable. There is only one exception (if the seller breaches the contract). If you, the buyer, decides to buy the home, the due diligence fee gets credited towards the purchase price.
I
It's amazing how much the market has changed. A year ago in some areas of NC, it would be difficult to secure a house without 10-20-30-40% or more for your due diligence fee (basically ensuring that you would buy the place no matter what). $3K is back to pre-pandemic levels.
I'm under contract for a 1900 house that has been empty for a couple of months. When you walk into the house, it has that dank musty smell that I feel is mold but the inspector and realtor acted like they had no idea what I'm talking about. The home inspector then found a large area of mold on the floor of the crawl space as well as several spots of mold on the near wall. We also found mold spots on the air vents in 3 of the bedrooms and mold spots in the bathroom cabinets.
There is a sump pump in the basement but no vapor barrier or anything else. There are no filters in the intake vents inside the house, gutters are clogged, no soil grading or sloping away from the house.
The realtor says I now need to pay 500$ to have the mold tested and get an estimate for a remediation to bring to the negotiation table with the seller. I am ready to walk but this is NC and the seller has 3000$ of my nonrefundable due diligence fee. I feel uncomfortable spending another 500$ on mold testing when I'm already in for 3K, plus the home inspection fee, plus the termite inspection, plus the appraisal. It seems unwise to keep spending money on inspections that I will never get back especially since the seller can decline to pay for anything and I may end up walking.
What would you do? The realtor acts like it's no big deal and you just ask the seller to pay for remediation and move right in. I do really like the house but now feel afraid that I might be buying a money pit that will risk my health. I've always lived in historic homes in the South but have not had mold issues. I'm trying to decide if I should keep driving forward or cut my losses. By the way, I will NEVER pay a due diligence fee again and don't care if it costs me the contract.
How much do you love the house and location?
Is it your first house?
Closed in house with bad grade and crawl space would smell musty - it is expected.
Was anything that you have discovered was disclosed as being not a problem? You may be able to argue about your diligence fee?
How is it that crawl space have floors?
Get rough estimates for grading as if you already own it - the most important.
Get a remediation cleaner’s estimate.
Agree with Diane -post #12- not all mold is problematic and just a matter of sanitation, cleaning, discarding, abatement.
If you do it yourself wear a good mask and tyvek suit if you want to be extra careful.
The vents - just clean, the cabinet if MDF - throw away.
For kicks - go to a couple of mold remediation type companies for an honest talk and very rough estimates by them what it cost to clean and how?
It will be interesting what they estimate: on one hand they would want to charge very high, but as you could just walk away - maybe their estimate and some common sense may help you to not panic that much
The problem with mold is your beams, you have to replace the beams. It can't be washed out of porous wood.
Quote:
Does Mold Damage Wood? Preventing Mold & Wood Rot
Mold grows when a wooden surface or the air around it has a high moisture content for any length of time. If mold is allowed to grow, it will ultimately destroy the wood and can ultimately cause severe structural damage to your home. Rotten wood absolutely must be replaced; it makes your home dangerous to live in.
Insurance co can tap into a data base,and look up claims filed on the house,talk to an insurance agent and see if it is so?
Hard to believe if you can smell it but the broker and realtor cannot?
Why dont you bring a friend of yours and see what he has to say?
and like the other suggest,bring Concrobium and see if it makes any difference.
Or may be call a remediation co and pretend you want work done and ask them to look at the house and see what they have to say,make sure you dont sign any contract.
I was kind of scammed into using a remediation co ,it bills me for everything,including trash bags,masks,pins,needles,tapes and I have a hard time making State Farm pays.
The remediation co said it bills State Farm direct,but State Farm said we only deal with the policyholder,and sent me a smaller amount.
It hired a lawyer to come after me,it seems I am not the only one who refused to pay every mask,bag,etc,and when the lawyer learned I have been paid by State Farm,it is willing to settle for the amount I received from State Farm.
I'm under contract for a 1900 house that has been empty for a couple of months. When you walk into the house, it has that dank musty smell that I feel is mold but the inspector and realtor acted like they had no idea what I'm talking about. The home inspector then found a large area of mold on the floor of the crawl space as well as several spots of mold on the near wall. We also found mold spots on the air vents in 3 of the bedrooms and mold spots in the bathroom cabinets.
There is a sump pump in the basement but no vapor barrier or anything else. There are no filters in the intake vents inside the house, gutters are clogged, no soil grading or sloping away from the house.
The realtor says I now need to pay 500$ to have the mold tested and get an estimate for a remediation to bring to the negotiation table with the seller. I am ready to walk but this is NC and the seller has 3000$ of my nonrefundable due diligence fee. I feel uncomfortable spending another 500$ on mold testing when I'm already in for 3K, plus the home inspection fee, plus the termite inspection, plus the appraisal. It seems unwise to keep spending money on inspections that I will never get back especially since the seller can decline to pay for anything and I may end up walking.
What would you do? The realtor acts like it's no big deal and you just ask the seller to pay for remediation and move right in. I do really like the house but now feel afraid that I might be buying a money pit that will risk my health. I've always lived in historic homes in the South but have not had mold issues. I'm trying to decide if I should keep driving forward or cut my losses. By the way, I will NEVER pay a due diligence fee again and don't care if it costs me the contract.
I'd walk away.
Mold, once it gets a hold of the house is everywhere and extremely hard to remediate (if not impossible if spread is too wide. You are talking about walls and floors being removed is many cases)
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
