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Termite Letters
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When you buy or sell a home
insist on a Official Wood Infestation Report (commonly referred to as a
Termite Letter, Real Estate Report or Clearance Letter) is required. This
report is provided by a professional pest control company specializing in
termite control and treatment. The Mortgage Company and the Purchaser will
receive a copy of this report. The Report States:
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Whether or not an infestation was found.
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What control measures would be required to eradicate the
infestation, (if any)
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Did the home have a previous infestation of termites or other wood
destroying organisms?
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Whether or not the home is under any type of renewable guarantee
with the inspecting Termite Company.
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And other important information
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This is an
important inspection and should not be taken lightly. The home must be
inspected with-in 30 days prior to the closing. If the home has
infestation, the home must be treated and a clear termite letter issued to
meet loan qualifications. The mortgage may require any repairs caused by
termites to be completed prior to closing.
Be sure to send the report to the mortgage company as soon as
possible for their requirements to prevent a delay in closing.
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Use Your Own Termite Company
Inform your
realtor if you have a Termite Guarantee on your home. Insist Your Termite
Company does the inspection so your Termite Contract can be assumed by the
buyer. Making the inspection and
handling the paper work for the closing allows your Termite Company to change
the guarantee into the new owners’ name prior to closing. Your Termite Company
would be able to provide treatment history and duplicate contracts and work
orders for the new owner. Most importantly should termites be found during
inspection, your Termite Company would treat free, another Termite Company would
charge you to correct problems.
If you don't
have a Termite Company you'll need to call a reputable one. Some Termite
Companies do free inspections with reports, others charge a fee. Both will most
likely send a qualified inspector to do the inspection and make out the report.
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How
To Schedule The Inspection
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When you call a Termite Company
to schedule the "Official Wood Infestation Report" you should
have this information ready.
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Your name, phone number, whether you are the seller or the buyer.
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Address of the property.
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State whether or not the property is occupied.
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Give appropriate phone numbers for the arrangement of the
inspection.
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Whether or not the home is under any type of renewable guarantee
with the inspecting Termite Company
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Give the name and phone numbers to contact should there be a
problem.
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Let the Termite Company know where to deliver the letter, or you
can pick it up when the inspection is done.
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And other important information
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The Inspection
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Make your property available for inspection.
The interior of the home and all rooms must be made available to the
inspector. The crawl space and garage door will need to be unlocked.
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The
inspector will be looking for:
(A). Any of the 5 Wood Destroying Organisms
 | Subterranean
Termites
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| Dry
wood Termites
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| Powder
Post Beetles
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| Wood
Borer Beetles
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| Wood
Decay Fungus
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(B). Any
of the 3 Conditions Conducive to Infestation.
| Wood
to Ground Contact
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| Cellulose
Debris in the crawl space
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| Insufficient
ventilation in the crawl space.
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(C).
Inspection facts and tips:
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a problem is found a solution will be offered.
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graph drawing detailing the problem will be provided.
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written proposal to correct the problem should be made available.
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| Price
to cure estimate should be left with you for your consideration.
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can compare these figures with the other bids you get.
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Termite Companies will allow the charges to be paid at the closing.
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Give appropriate phone numbers for the arrangement of the
inspection.
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whether or not the home is under any type of renewable guarantee
with the inspecting Termite Company
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Give the name and phone numbers to contact should there be a
problem.
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Let the Termite Company know where to deliver the letter, or you
can pick it up when the inspection is done.
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and other important information
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If
Problems Are Found
If your home has an active infestation of a wood
destroying organism it must be treated and any damage repaired
before you close the sale. Make sure these problems are handled. You will most
likely find yourself in court if you knowingly pass along a problem.
Only written
bids or Estimates should be considered. Only reputable Termite Companies will
leave you one. If a Termite Inspector is sure of what he or she has found they
won't mind putting it on paper for all to see. (Keep this in mind)
Whenever a
Previous infestation is found, you must assume some degree of damage was done.
Usually a Licensed General Contractor checks to see if replacement or repairs
are needed.
Home
Buyer Tip
The relationship
you start with a Termite Company will most likely be a long one. Even as the
buyer of a home you can have some input as to which Termite Company treats the
home you are buying. If you’re not satisfied with the Termite Company selected
by the seller, simply pay the difference
in treating price and, get the Company you prefer.
Remember, the homeowners are trying to sell the home and spend as little as
possible on needed termite work. Dirt cheap termite jobs with little or no
guarantee can be yours if you’re not paying attention.
Can
I treat My Own House?
Treating a house for subterranean termites
is a job best left to professionals.
Special equipment is required and Termiticides are much stronger chemicals than
pesticides, and can be a danger to the environment and yourself if handled
improperly.
Pick your
Termite Company with care, your relationship with them could be a long one; it
is almost impossible to get a Termite Company to pick up a guarantee on the
other Termite Company's work.
It is a good
idea to pick a Termite Company that can afford to back up the guarantee they
issue you. Termite Companies are required to carry insurance. It would be a
shame to have a claim that your Termite Company could not pay. It happens.
Some prices are
high some are low. Each Termite Company charges what they think their services
are worth. Some Termite Companies don't charge enough to do the job right and
some Termite Companies charge too much. Find a good medium priced local company
and check out their reputation.
