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In article <8a9be796.0403192149.74260b5a@posting.google.com>, email_invalid@mail2world.com (Email Invalid) wrote:
>I am currently under contract to purchase a home in Chandler, Arizona.
>According to my agent, the just released termite report shows that
>there is some termite activity. I'll get a copy soon and also the
>agent suggested I talk to the inspector to determine the extent of the
>termite issue.
>
>At this time I do not know the extent of the activity and if there is
>any damage to speak of but this situations is of course somewhat
>"disturbing".
>
>My main areas of concern are:
>1. The extent of the termite activity and any damage
>2. The effect this will have on resale value (if the problem is
>treated but this fact were disclosed to future buyers as would be
>required)
>
>The contract stipulates that the seller must pay for the treatment.
>But I also wonder if I should ask for a reduced price for the possible
>value lowering effect due to this factor.

That depends on the extent of the damage, and how willing you are to walk away 
from the deal. If the damage is minor, and completely repaired, I suspect that 
the seller will have little interest in lowering the price.
>
>I am a first time buyer and not all that knowledgeable about the
>extent of termite problems in Chandler. I'd prefer if termites
>activity wasn't found but then again this could be quite common and
>inevitable in Chandler.
>
>I feel a bit uneasy about buying a property that isn't termite free
>but on the other hand it might be common enough that a record of
>termites isn't going to be that big of a deal down the line when it
>comes time to sell.

If the damage was minimal, or is completely repaired, and the infestation has 
been eliminated, you probably won't see much impact on resale value at all.
>
>Does anyone have any advice or suggestions as to what I should do or
>how much of an issue this is?

Once you find out the extent of the damage, you have a decision to make. Real 
estate purchase contracts normally allow the buyer to withdraw without penalty 
if inspection discloses a major defect, and extensive termite damage certainly 
falls into this category. If the damage is extensive, you may want to simply 
walk away from the deal -- *after* consulting with your attorney. Extensive 
damage means expensive repair; you can always attempt to negotiate with the 
seller, either for the seller to pay for the repair, or to reduce the selling 
price correspondingly, but be prepared for those negotiations to go nowhere.

Email Invalid said on 3/19/2004 10:49 PM:

>I am currently under contract to purchase a home in Chandler, Arizona.
>According to my agent, the just released termite report shows that
>there is some termite activity. I'll get a copy soon and also the
>agent suggested I talk to the inspector to determine the extent of the
>termite issue.
>
>At this time I do not know the extent of the activity and if there is
>any damage to speak of but this situations is of course somewhat
>"disturbing".
>
>My main areas of concern are:
>1. The extent of the termite activity and any damage
>2. The effect this will have on resale value (if the problem is
>treated but this fact were disclosed to future buyers as would be
>required)
>
>The contract stipulates that the seller must pay for the treatment.
>But I also wonder if I should ask for a reduced price for the possible
>value lowering effect due to this factor.
>
>I am a first time buyer and not all that knowledgeable about the
>extent of termite problems in Chandler. I'd prefer if termites
>activity wasn't found but then again this could be quite common and
>inevitable in Chandler.
>
>I feel a bit uneasy about buying a property that isn't termite free
>but on the other hand it might be common enough that a record of
>termites isn't going to be that big of a deal down the line when it
>comes time to sell.
>
>Does anyone have any advice or suggestions as to what I should do or
>how much of an issue this is?
>
>Thanks for any help!
>  
>
=========
Not sure about Arizona real estate law but the revelation of termites 
CAN  be grounds to void the contract. Usually the seller has a termite 
inspection before going on the market. If they sold you the home WITHOUT 
revealing the termites you can probably void the contract.

az-willie <sclause@npole.com> wrote in message news:<iD_6c.16$lf.13@okepread05>...

> =========
> Not sure about Arizona real estate law but the revelation of termites 
> CAN  be grounds to void the contract. Usually the seller has a termite 
> inspection before going on the market. If they sold you the home WITHOUT 
> revealing the termites you can probably void the contract.

According to my real estate agent and my understanding of the
contract, I would be within my rights to withdraw from the contract
and obtain my earnest money back. The loss from doing so would be time
and the cost of the home inspections ($290 total for separate home and
termite inspections).

The question, though, is should I start looking for a another home or
should I still buy the home but have the seller pay for full treatment
(which actually he is required to do as the contract stipulates). If
there is any "advantage" to speak of, it is that if I choose to go
forward I can get termite treatment for free.

There is of course better peace of mind in buying a home where the
report shows no current termite activity. OTOH, I could easily buy a
home where the termite inspection is clean and termites could still
show up later on anyway and then I'd be the one to have to pay for it.

If the current termite activity and more importantly damage is minimal
and if this problem is somewhat inevitable, then there really is not
much reason not to move forward, I guess???

Email Invalid said on 3/20/2004 3:51 PM:

>az-willie <sclause@npole.com> wrote in message news:<iD_6c.16$lf.13@okepread05>...
>
>  
>
>>=========
>>Not sure about Arizona real estate law but the revelation of termites 
>>CAN  be grounds to void the contract. Usually the seller has a termite 
>>inspection before going on the market. If they sold you the home WITHOUT 
>>revealing the termites you can probably void the contract.
>>    
>>
>
>According to my real estate agent and my understanding of the
>contract, I would be within my rights to withdraw from the contract
>and obtain my earnest money back. The loss from doing so would be time
>and the cost of the home inspections ($290 total for separate home and
>termite inspections).
>
>The question, though, is should I start looking for a another home or
>should I still buy the home but have the seller pay for full treatment
>(which actually he is required to do as the contract stipulates). If
>there is any "advantage" to speak of, it is that if I choose to go
>forward I can get termite treatment for free.
>
>There is of course better peace of mind in buying a home where the
>report shows no current termite activity. OTOH, I could easily buy a
>home where the termite inspection is clean and termites could still
>show up later on anyway and then I'd be the one to have to pay for it.
>
>If the current termite activity and more importantly damage is minimal
>and if this problem is somewhat inevitable, then there really is not
>much reason not to move forward, I guess???
>  
>
=======================

Probably the biggest question is how much damage there is and the extent 
of the termite infestation.

 If infestation is minimal and no known damage and the owner will pay 
for full termite treatment it isn't necessarily a deal breaker. 

I would try to get the owner to pay for the Terminix program or one 
similar to it where stations are installed around the perimeter of the 
house. 

As far as I know, Terminix is the only one that guarantees to pay for 
the damage. All other termite programs only retreat if termites are 
found, they don't pay for the damage when their program fails.

Scott in Aztl�n said on 3/21/2004 9:05 AM:

>On 20 Mar 2004 14:51:23 -0800, email_invalid@mail2world.com (Email Invalid)
>wrote:
>
>  
>
>>There is of course better peace of mind in buying a home where the
>>report shows no current termite activity. OTOH, I could easily buy a
>>home where the termite inspection is clean and termites could still
>>show up later on anyway 
>>    
>>
>
>Yup. A great deal depends on how good the inspection/inspector is.
>
>When I bought my current house (in SoCal), the sellers had a termite inspection
>done. The inspection revealed some evidence of infestation, and recommended spot
>treatment and some repairs. The sellers, being *incredibly* cheap, decided the
>cost was too much, so they went and got a second opinion. This second inspection
>revealed more extensive infestation, and they recommended fumigating the entire
>structure. Instead of lowering their costs, these idiots ended up having to pay
>SIX TIMES MORE than the original estimate.
>
>BWAAAAAAHAAAAHAAAAHAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!
>
>I'm still laughing about that one. :)
>
>Anyway, the bottom line is, the first inspector clearly missed some things that
>the second inspector found. Thus, who you select to do your termite inspection
>can make a big difference.
>
>  
>
=============
Termites are a plague in Arizona. Homes built in former orchards or on 
former farm land don't have much problem because so much insecticide was 
applied to the land over the years.

But homes built on former desert ground ( like many in the East and West 
valley areas of Phoenix ) have big time problems with termites.

On 20 Mar 2004 14:51:23 -0800, in a fit of unbridled digital verbosity, once
again proving the problem is located between the seat and the keyboard,
email_invalid@mail2world.com (Email Invalid) two-fingered to all:

|>az-willie <sclause@npole.com> wrote in message
news:<iD_6c.16$lf.13@okepread05>...
|>
|>> =========
|>> Not sure about Arizona real estate law but the revelation of termites 
|>> CAN  be grounds to void the contract. Usually the seller has a termite 
|>> inspection before going on the market. If they sold you the home WITHOUT 
|>> revealing the termites you can probably void the contract.
|>
|>According to my real estate agent and my understanding of the
|>contract, I would be within my rights to withdraw from the contract
|>and obtain my earnest money back. The loss from doing so would be time
|>and the cost of the home inspections ($290 total for separate home and
|>termite inspections).
|>
|>The question, though, is should I start looking for a another home or
|>should I still buy the home but have the seller pay for full treatment
|>(which actually he is required to do as the contract stipulates). If
|>there is any "advantage" to speak of, it is that if I choose to go
|>forward I can get termite treatment for free.
|>
|>There is of course better peace of mind in buying a home where the
|>report shows no current termite activity. OTOH, I could easily buy a
|>home where the termite inspection is clean and termites could still
|>show up later on anyway and then I'd be the one to have to pay for it.
|>
|>If the current termite activity and more importantly damage is minimal
|>and if this problem is somewhat inevitable, then there really is not
|>much reason not to move forward, I guess???

If the house is standing in what used to be an orchard, like so many of the
valley's houses are, then termites will be an ongoing problem for years to come.
When the developers clear the land, they knock the trees over, cut them up and
haul them away.  In doing so, they leave considerable quantities of wood and
plant materials behind in the soil.  This creates a fantastic home for termites
and certain species of ants, and they make the most of it.  

As their numbers grow, and food and nesting resources dwindle over the years,
the insects start looking for new directions to expand, or simply migrate to
more plentiful resources, like that nice batch of houses the developers built
right on top of their homes.  

The onslaught usually begins when the development is 4-8 years old, depending on
how well the developer cleaned up before construction.

My suggestion would be to research the property.  If it's standing on what used
to be an orchard, walk away, and consider yourself lucky to have escaped the
decade(s) long battle to come.


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