Home/Pest Inspections

I​t's been an interesting week. W​ Yule and Christmas this week, I did not expect to be that busy, but good are happening. New clients are under contract, we have inspections and appraisals scheduled, including an inspection on my own property.

W​e have pest control come out every other month, to spray against German roaches. My pest guy knows not to spray the spiders or fumigate for scorpions. The last time he came out, he recommended I have a termite inspector come out. He couldn't say for certain, but he thought he saw signs of termites.

I called one of our preferred inspectors, and he recommended a person to call. My pest service does the inspection for free, but I wanted a second opinion as I have never dealt with termites and want to be sure everything is good. It t​urns out he was right; we have subterranean termites. I'm not surprised. My team lead likes to say you either had termites, or you're going to have them.

T​his led me down a rabbit hole of researching Arizona termites and how destructive they can be. Treatment is pretty easy for them, a bit costly but not compared to potential structural remodeling that could be caused by these guys.

I​t's one more thing to add to the list for my home. I have projects I need to take care of. One way I keep myself from going crazy is by prioritizing what is imperative and budgeting . The missing corner roof tiles and the termites take priority over the faulty garage door sensor and the baseboard that needs to be .

A​ll these are also why getting a home inspection when you are buying a home is so important. We saw a lot of buyers waiving inspections at the height of the summer market, but never something we advised our clients to do. The home inspection is so important and can be eye-opening.

Often the inspection doesn't break the deal, but it gives the buyers the opportunity to walk into the deal with eyes open, and gives them an idea of what home improvements they may want to do first. You wouldn't start on an outdoor sitting space if you know that your sub floor in part of the house needs attention, or a bathroom leak you need to discuss soon. You might be buying the home with the big backyard for your pets, so issues with the fences' integrity would be important to know.

I​n some cases it will also give your buyers a better idea of if a home warranty is worth the money. Inspectors will be able to say for certain how old your A/C, water heater etc. are, and give you an estimate on how much longer they will last. If the seller thinks the A/C is 12 years old but the inspector says it's 18, that may make the home warranty worth it.

O​ hurdles that come up in inspections are issues sellers already disclosed or were not aware of themselves. If the seller is downsizing they may never use the guest shower and are not aware the door leaks. Most people don't go onto their roof to check on the integrity of the roof shingles, tiles etc.

Iam still waiting for the second inspectors report and estimate to take care of the issue, but I suspect they will be comparable to each other. Yes I will have to the property was treated for termites when I sell, but I prefer that to discovering I have them while negotiating the sale.