Here we go … walk through and closing TODAY! (Tampa: sales, foreclosure)

[floridagirl777]

Originally Posted by jambo101

Problem with repairing a job like this is the typical lay-person isnt going to be able to tell if the end result is a $500 quicky cheap slap some plaster and paint on it or whether its been a $10,000 job thats been done properly with much replacement of sheet rock and whatever else is needed..

Would a licensed home inspector be able to tell if things are being done correctly? We have a good friend of ours who is VERY thorough - he was the one who noticed the hairline crack in the toilet tank to begin with. I'm wondering if he would be able to tell if the repairs were being done correctly, or if there is some sort of mold specialist I could hire to come and check on things periodically to make sure they were being done right.

[jambo101]

Originally Posted by floridagirl777

Would a licensed home inspector be able to tell if things are being done correctly? We have a good friend of ours who is VERY thorough - he was the one who noticed the hairline crack in the toilet tank to begin with. I'm wondering if he would be able to tell if the repairs were being done correctly, or if there is some sort of mold specialist I could hire to come and check on things periodically to make sure they were being done right.

Yes he sounds like he knows what he's doing and will prove to be a valuable asset in allaying your fears of future problems, that said if the repairs arent up to standard be prepared to throw in the towel on this house as it could be a never ending money pit...

[crazynip]

Originally Posted by floridagirl777

I love looking at homes, too. However, the area we want is Safety Harbor and there isn't much inventory left there that we like. (I have access to the realtor's MLS and check out housing on a regular basis.) We want to be close enough to downtown to ride our bikes there and we want a home with a pool. We are trying to stay down around the $250K range. If you know Safety Harbor, then you know that's not an easy thing to do! We found the home we love in the area we love at a good price and everything about it was perfect … except that it was outdated on the interior and needed to be fixed up. We had a 3 year plan set to go to re-do the interior, so if we end up getting the house we will be able to have the new interior we want without having to pay anything. In that regard, it's a nice situation to be in … minus the inconvenience of being displaced until all the repair work is finished.

You are definitely not thinking rationally. At all. Take a step back and look at one of the 10's of thousands of available houses on the market. You will find one that is right for you and not water damaged.

You are kidding yourself if you think the repair work will be done in a quality manner, in the fashion you want, at the current owners expense.

You are really, seriously in fantasyland.

Find another home. Look at it this way, it may have happened to you a day after you closed and you would be on the hook.

Also, think of this, a home with water and possible mold damage, you will have issues getting insurance.

You need to put your head back on your shoulders and think rationally about this. There are other homes. And 250k for a home in that area seems way high for this economy. This isnt 2006.

[crazynip]

Originally Posted by jambo101

Problem with repairing a job like this is the typical lay-person isnt going to be able to tell if the end result is a $500 quicky cheap slap some plaster and paint on it or whether its been a $10,000 job thats been done properly with much replacement of sheet rock and whatever else is needed..

Exactly, the current homeowner knows he has a real gullible buyer on the hook.

He's gonna do the bare minimum to fix it, and wash his hands of it.

[crazynip]

Originally Posted by floridagirl777

Would a licensed home inspector be able to tell if things are being done correctly? We have a good friend of ours who is VERY thorough - he was the one who noticed the hairline crack in the toilet tank to begin with. I'm wondering if he would be able to tell if the repairs were being done correctly, or if there is some sort of mold specialist I could hire to come and check on things periodically to make sure they were being done right.

Licensed or not, home inspectors, especially one hired by the seller tend to not have an unbiased opinion. I speak from experience as someone with several rental properties and someone who has bought and sold many homes. The home inspectors only do very rudimentary, superficial inspections. Trust me... they miss stuff.

[MortonR]

I have been through the mold remediation process, and it is neither simple or cheap.

To have it done right will be a substantial expense, after which you will have an environmental or industrial hygienist come in and take air and surface samples. This is pretty pricey as well (I realize this is not your expense.)

When, and only when the samples pass, will the remediation specialists be paid. If the tests don't pass, the remediation people will return to do more. And the process gets repeated..

In my personal opinion, I would run and run away fast. You sound like you're trying to talk yourself into this - a bad sign, for sure. While you could potentially get the property with new and refinished interior, it could be years before the full extent of the damage may be known. At that point you will own it, as there is no way the insurance company will follow through without everyone signing off.

Also, the insurance company will be in control of the repairs, and common sense dictates what their budgetary needs will be - the absolute minimum. Since you are not and will not be the owner until work is complete and title transfers, any efforts to enhance the work to suit your desires would probably be on a cash only basis. Your lender is not going to disburse funds for something they have no financial interest in.

Again, I would suggest you consider this an opportunity to find an even better home. You will.

RM

[gulfer]

Add to that Morton, I would expect this house to be fixed within 30 days. Some of that wood won't even be dry by then let alone mold starting to show.

I feel for the OP, I really do. There is good stuff here. I won't say one way or another as each person is different.

I would quit reading about mold and start reading about home inspectors and what they look for, what they are bonded for, and what kind of warranty you can get with this place.

You're not going to be an expert on all this stuff and that will probably add to your stress level. Find EXPERTS that know this back and forth (wet and dry) and get them to answer you 100% honestly. Family friends, I would stay away from them too. Ask people in here who is the most thorough home inspector they know. Ask them who is the best mold inspection company in the area. ETC... AND HAVE THE SELLER PAY FOR THE COMPANY YOU - YOU - YOU - find.

[algia]

Sadly I have to agree with this. Sellers are not going to bend over backwards to actually "renovate" this place. They'll do a clean up job and that's that. Plus, you have to know that they won't pick anyone too expensive to do the job either...

I know this totally sucks...but I rather find a house without problems than buy a money pit.

My hubby(NOT ME) is entertaining buying the place we rent now...and let me tell you, since we moved, the fridge broke 3 times, the AC is 80% dead, they had to replace the compressor because it is 10 years old needs to be replaced, the garage door spring broke...had to be replaced...and this is a 10 year old house...so technically NEW! My house is Europe was built in 1928 and we never had to repair anything on it! The master toilet broke 2 times too...and they had some sort of flood and now the floor upstairs is uneven...I like it, I rather pay $1200 in rent for it...cause its not worth a penny more...but if he decided to buy it...then everything will have to be replaced, the AC, the fridge, the carpets will come off upstairs so we can SEE what a hell is going on with the floors etc. The way it is now, I won't buy it.

See, there are a LOT of people desperately trying to sell cause they overpaid by $200,300k+++...so you have to be very very very aware of that, and look at everything a million times over. AND do pay for inspection...find a good, trustworthy inspector, and inspect everything, after all it is YOUR MONEY being put in a home, not the seller's.

Thankfully there is a lot of inventory still. I am sure you will find a much better house there. Don't lose faith.

Originally Posted by crazynip

You are kidding yourself if you think the repair work will be done in a quality manner, in the fashion you want, at the current owners expense.

Find another home. Look at it this way, it may have happened to you a day after you closed and you would be on the hook.

[floridagirl777]

Thank you all for the words of warning.

I am going to sit down and talk with my husband and see if he's ready to accept the reality that we may need to start the house hunt all over again.

[FloridaKash]

I think you're fine. Something like this could have happened in another home in the past and you would have never been this wiser. In this case, you are aware what happened. Good news is, you get to pick flooring and paint now.

If possible tell the seller you want to pick the contractors who do the work. Pick quality, reputable contractors who have strong warranty's and you'll be fine. Also, have them add a home warranty to the house.

Just think, this could have happened to you the day after you moved in. It could now be your headache and your goods ruined.