Termite Inspections for Home Buying
Megan Pinneo
Have a Termite Inspection preformed before you sign on the line.
Lenders and Insurance Companies often require Termite Clearance
Wait.. What? Buying or selling a home and need a Termite Inspection? Like you don’t have enough on your plate at this exciting yet stressful time, now the bank is telling you they require a Termite Inspection of the said home. Don’t Panic. While it is not a law in the state of California that you must have a Termite Inspection performed by a professional on the home that is being bought or sold some lenders or insurance providers do require a Termite Inspection. Most all VA Loans do require a full Termite Inspection to be preformed. The banks are looking for Termite Clearance on the home. What if a Termite Inspection is not required in the buying process? It is HIGHLY recommended that you do have one done on the home to avoid future high costs of repair if there is an existing infestation of Termites. A useful tool is the TERMITE INFESTATION PROBABILITY ZONE MAP to check and see if your area of living is at high or low risk for Termite Infestation.
What is a Termite Inspection?
A Termite Inspection is a visual inspection conducted by a Professional who examines the property of accessible areas for any evidence of wood-destroying organisms (WDO). The Termite Control Professional will inspect all areas of the home including accessing any subspaces such as crawlspaces and basements. There are a few different signs of a Termite Infestation that the Inspector will be looking for:
Wings
Mud Tubes (Learn more about Mud Tubes at a recent blog .)
Termite Droppings
Wood Damage
High Moisture Content in Walls
And the obvious being Termites themselves
At the completion of the Termite Inspection you will receive a Termite Report staying whether or not there is evidence of wood destroying organisms or if you are granted Termite Clearnace. Fingers crossed you have received Termite Clearance and you can continue forward with the home buying/selling process. If not and your Inspector has found evidence of Termites there will be a report provided to you stating where the evidence is found and the Termite Control Company will provide you with a quote on the work that is need to eliminate the Pest Infestation. After the work has been completed and checked then a Termite Clearance can be issued.
Why do Lenders and Banks want Termite Clearance?
Simple, to secure their investment. Termites can cause a tremendous amount damage to a home and cost thousands of dollars in damage, why would anyone want to sign up for that? Lenders are looking for a risk-free loan. If the seller and buyer agree to a Termite Report as part of the contract, lenders will want to secure that all the repairs are properly executed and completed before closing.
Who do I call for a Termite Inspection and Clearance?
Black Knight Termite and Pest Control offers Termite Inspections as one of their many services. A Termite Inspection for Real Estate costs $85 and for concerned home owner its always FREE! One of Black Knight’s trusted Pest Control Professionals will come to your home and do a full inspection that is necessary for closing if there is damage that is found a quote will be provided and if you choose to go to Black Knight Termite for your work completion the inspection fee is waved! As a service Black Knight grants concerned home owners with a FREE TERMITE INSPECTION. Give the office a call and let us know your concerns and where you feel an infestation may be located and we will schedule a time that is convenient for you. Plan on an Termite Inspection taking about an hour or a little less for a concerned home owner and on large properties plan for more. Also please inform the office if you will want or need an inspection on any detached garage(s) if there is one on the property.
Let Black Knight Termite and Pest Control serve you in all your Termite and Pest Control needs.