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Well. original inspector came out with his boss today. Admitted there were termite tubes. Admitted they missed it. Offered to refund my inspection fee as a way of apology. But that was it.
I didn't use an agent for this house. I did for the last and didn't have one then either.
Sorry, OP. It sounds like you made several mistakes. I didn't read the whole thread, so I apologize if this has already been covered. I am in TX, and in TX the WDI (wood destroying insect) inspection is separate from the general home inspection. A lot of general home inspectors will suggest you get one, especailly if the home is an older one. Termites are a real issue here. My gf is a home inspector, and she suggests one, especially if you've put out a contract on an older home. She then will offer some names and try to coordinate their arrival with the time of the regular home inspection since here, the termite inspectors do not have access to the home, and the general home inspectors do. The good news is, termite treatments are often inexpensive, especially when the problem is caught early. The most important thing is to start treatment ASAP.
Inspectors are useless more often than not. As a seller and buyer, they have cost us a lot of money.
The best thing to do is hire a contractor of each discipline--electric--plumbing--foundation, etc, and have them spend an hour poking around.
I'm in IL and used to hold a real estate license. I've also worked in the mortgage industry. FHA always requires termite inspections. Conventional (Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac) don't unless the appraiser comments on the possibility of termites. When I was selling real estate, my broker told me that there was a swath through part of the north side of Chicago that was known for having termites. As others have mentioned, different areas of the country have much different levels of termites. When I bought my house, built 1880, the inspector told me there was evidence of a previous carpenter ant problem. He said no signs of recent activity. I haven't treated for it, and the house hasn't fallen down yet. OP, I think you REALLY need to chill. I agree with others who said you should go ahead and get a termite inspection now. NOT from a company who treats as they will be more likely to "find" a current problem. If there is an active problem, then get several recommendations of companies to treat it.
OKay.. so help me out.. because you always see pics of peoples houses chewed apart, or you hear stories of $50k worth of damage due to termites. I thought termites were a deal killer in most real estate transactions.
No, absolutely not. We bought two hoses that had termite damage. There was a small place in the garage in our first hose. It was treated, and all was good.
Our second house there was areas that were previously treated, but no active termites.
Nope, it just depends on how extensive the damage is. When we bought our first home I was pissed that the inspector didn't find obvious issues and let shoddy repairs suffice. However, I've realized that I was probably too wound up as a first time homebuyer and was paranoid we'd be stuck with a money pit. Needless to say, every issue I encountered the first year had me on edge. Looking back, the house was excellent. It needed some repairs, all do, but overall it was solid (not perfect).
A few years ago we bought another home. I vetted the inspector, but didn't rely on him. While he was inspecting, so was I. Of course, I also expected there would be a few unforeseen issues and just banked on that. Every house has them. A few months after we bought, a small flood from a freak drainage issue, a burst pipe, and two appliance repairs later we are well into 6k worth of repairs. This is all stuff that was unforeseen and comes with home ownership. There will always be soemthing that needs fixed or is annoying and stuff you just can't account for.
Give it a few months and if you still hate the house, sell and go back to renting.
Your not wrong. I am probably going to hit my wife with the idea of selling today. I definitely wouldn't have bought with termites.
Termites are the end of the world? Good grief you are not meant to be a homeowner. What will you do when the water hose to the washing machine lets go and you have inches of water in your basement? And the list goes on. Worrywarts should not buy, only rent. Then you can worry that the neighbor upstairs uses the bathroom at 2 am or gets up too early for work.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zarick
OKay.. so help me out.. because you always see pics of peoples houses chewed apart, or you hear stories of $50k worth of damage due to termites. I thought termites were a deal killer in most real estate transactions.
[COLOR="rgb(65, 105, 225)"]Sure, anyone can ignore the signs of termites until the house has literally fallen down. I tend to think you'll see one ant across the yard and you'll sell at a loss.[/color]
Termites? We woke up one morning to sounds in the kitchen. A raccoon had broken through the screen and lifted up the window to get in. It threw appliances off the counters and opened the bread drawer. We found it sitting on the counter with the microwave hanging by the cord all the while it was eating the bread. And didn't want to leave the house. What will you do?
OKay.. so help me out.. because you always see pics of peoples houses chewed apart, or you hear stories of $50k worth of damage due to termites. I thought termites were a deal killer in most real estate transactions.
Not here. Termite damage is generally minor here. It is rarely a deal killer. Most buyers request that damage be repaired and a full house treatment be done. It just isn't a big deal here. It's Oregon. We have lots of trees. Trees are cellulose which means that wood organisms like termites, carpenter ants, and beetles like it here. If you are going to be anxious about WDO (wood destroying organisms) in Oregon, then owning a house isn't the right choice for you. It's kind of like getting upset about about mold in Oregon. We are mold central due to our wet weather.
Now the flying termites, like they have in Hawaii, those things are vicious.
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