Something Termite This Way Comes
The one word real estate agents hate hearing is T-E-R-M-I-T-E…. Shhhhh… Don’t say it aloud because it is the bane of a homeowners existence. Along with carpenter ants, mold, water intrusion, and broken heat/air system. From up close and personal experience, I can tell you this is termite season. Sadly like those icky bugs that get in the hair of school-children, termites don’t care if a house is expensive, fixer-upper, bank-owned, in the suburbs, or in a city.
I’m working with a buyer right now who is purchasing a 4,000 square foot home. The inspector said he saw termite evidence, but couldn’t confirm because he’s not a licensed termite person. The termites were in the hardwood floor of the dining room. The bug company was called and they confirmed that the wood-hungry pests were indeed there. Fortunately, the termites were limited to only one area of the home before too much damage was done.
The seller called a reputable termite company that came out and set bait-traps. We asked the seller to replace the wood that the termites had been found in, so two weeks after the treatment the flooring guy came out to work his magic - pull out the old wood, put in new wood, stain to match the rest of the flooring, and then put the final coats on. But when he removed the old wood, he saw active termites. (Roll scary sound effect.) I admit that I broke into a cold sweat when I heard the news.
All was not lost, thankfully. We met yesterday morning (the day of closing) with the termite man who said they guaranteed their work and will be drilling and treating around the dining room and back porch area. In addition, my buyer agreed to pay the extra money for a liquid treatment on the entire house because he doesn’t like bugs. Period.
If you see weird tunnels on your drywall, flooring, trim work, etc. you should immediately call a termite company. Make sure they check out with the Better Business Bureau or get referrals from your friends and family.
