Termite Letter
73The Importance of the Termite Letter in a Real Estate Deal
Termite infestations are a common problem for homeowners in many parts of the world and even in well developed countries. These wood easting insects enter the property very secretively and their activity causes great damages to wooden structures. The termite colony can go unnoticed for a sufficiently long time to destroy the wooden structures from within while the surface remains visibly unchanged. The eradication of the pests is time consuming and requires a lot of effort and money. The repair costs can reach very large proportions and entire parts of the home can even collapse. Thus, it is important to arrange for a termite letter before buying or selling a property. This official document will provide you with the most up to date information concerning the termite activity in the property.
The termite letter, formally known as official wood infestation report, is the summary of the findings of a professional pest inspection performed in the property indicating any past or present infestations and the respective damages that have occurred as a result of the insects’ activity. Usually, the seller has to arrange the inspection and present the report to the buyer and lender involved in the deal.
The inspection should be performed no earlier than 30 days prior to the signing of the contract. In some states this letter is obligatory for the conclusion of the deal and the report is included in the contract as an official document attached to the main text. In others, however, such a report is not considered mandatory for real estate deals. You have to check what the particular legal arrangements in the region, in which you are contracting such an agreement, are. If you are a buyer you are highly recommended to negotiate with the seller or the real estate company to have such an inspection performed.
This will give you a more thorough financial evaluation of the property and will help you decide whether you want to incur the costs and make the efforts to monitor and treat any infestations and the respective damages. It is important to have in mind that the traditional home insurance does not cover for termite infestation and the caused damages. Further more, insurers do not provide any specific termite insurance plans. This means that the only way to protect your property effectively is to rely on the services and warranties of pest control companies.
Generally, any homeowner should provide for the professional inspection of their home performed by experienced experts from a dedicated provider as a measure for maintaining the property and ensuring appropriate termite management. In fact, you might find it more beneficial and less expensive to have the so called termite insurance for the entire period of ownership of your home. Once the property is acquired, you can have the inspection and the consequent treatment for the eradication of the termites (if necessary) done by the pest controller. Most companies readily provide warranty for the services they perform. Check the termite tenting cost here if you plan to use this method in the near future.
Even when the warranty expires you can opt for further insurance of your home offered by the termite controller. Usually, the policy plan includes the monthly inspection of the property and some adequate termite solutions for the protection of the home such as monitoring systems and barriers surrounding the house. In case of a termite infestation, the eradication of the insects will be performed by the controllers and they will bear all the costs.
Some companies also cover for the damages caused by the pest activities and the consequent repair will cost you nothing. If you adopt this solution, you can readily rely on a well performed inspection in case you decide to sell your property. Moreover, you can secure making a good deal because in case of an infestation discovered you will not incur any cost for the immediate removal of the termite pest and the repairs required.
It is important to choose a trusted pest controller for the provision of the termite letter. Be careful not to go for a company that offers unbelievably low prices and try to look for quotes and customer reviews. Also, make sure you are present during the inspection to provide the experts with the required access to the different areas in the home. Remember, a professional termite exterminator can always offer you help in case of emergency. Yes, this might cost you a little more than doing it on your own but look at this as an investment and not just wasting your money.
Before signing up any termite letter you have to pay close attention if there is anything mentioned about detecting termites. A lot of people don't pay the necessary attention to these issues but we consider them to be extremely important! Knowing how to identify termites is going to dramatically help you in getting rid of this type of pest!
