Buying a home is one of the biggest decisions and investments you will make in your lifetime.
It’s important you have all the information necessary to make an informed decision. There’s nothing worse than buying a new home and finding out you need to replace all of the insulation, for example, due to a rodent infestation.
Pests like rodents can leave costly damage that will not necessarily be included in any of the standard real estate inspections. Unlike termite, chimney, or roof inspections, pest inspections are not common during the home buying process. Many people do not know that Termite Inspectors cannot indicate or report conditions not pertaining to wood destroying organisms (WDO) – conditions like rodents or cockroaches.
The real estate industry as a whole tends to lean on home inspectors to identify conditions in the attic. Unfortunately, home inspectors aren’t authorized to identify pests during their inspections. At Nottingham Pest Control, we had a customer who had such extensive rodent damage her roof looked like swiss cheese from the attic. Because the roof was still doing its job, the home inspector probably didn’t know what to look for and didn’t include the damage in his report. That left a homebuyer with a very expensive rodent problem to correct which required a new roof.
As a home buyer, here are some ways you can include pest control – and give yourself and your family peace of mind – in the home buying process:
- Conduct a pest inspection prior to purchase. You want to know without question what you are getting into. It is a common request or requirement from lenders to have a pest inspection, yet that only refers to WDO or termites. “Pests” is a term widely underrated in this context. You want to have a pest control professional look for rodents, birds, roaches, and other pests that might be causing damage to your home or pose health risks.
- Include the inspection in the closing costs. Realtors can often include provisions in the closing costs. Nottingham Pest Control is happy to work with your agent. We will provide you a rodent or pest inspection report (not a termite inspection) that will identify such conducive conditions. The inspection fee will also be credited back to any work that is purchased.
- Be present during the inspection. Ask questions and ensure you are getting the best home possible. You are able to gain more negotiation power in the buying process.
It’s important that you know ahead of time what you are getting into when buying a home. Make an informed buying decision with a pest inspection (different from a termite inspection).