AboutRick Stone, Broker/Owner, CRS, ABR, GRI Expertise I am a licensed Real Estate Broker serving Virginia, Washington, D.C & the areas surrounding Cabo san Lucas, Mexico. I am currently involved in building homes in the Cabo area. I have served as chairperson for my HOA Architectural Review Board. I will do my best to respond to any related questions regarding the buying or selling of real estate.
Questions can be regarding your search in finding a great agent to work with and what to do with a bad one. Real estate agency, contract issues, home inspections, real estate investing and property disclosure issues. I'll do my best and wave my magic wand to get you out of problems concerning your builder or be happy to tell you what you should had known before you wrote the contract or before you do. How do you buy or sell raw land, tear down an old house and rebuild new, and all you should know about waterfront properties are good questions too.
I will say this, I am candid with my reposnces and do my very best to offer advice that may teach but there are cases where if as Forrest Gump's mother would say, "stupid is what stupid does" or something like that, I may have to scold you to get my point across.
Experience I'm proud to hold the following professional real estate designations: CRB, Council of Real Estate Brokers - CRS, Certified Residential Specialist - GRI, Graduate of the Realtors Institute and ABR, Accredited Buyers Representative. I am a member of the National Association of REALTORS, Mexican Association of REALTORS (AMPI) and the Los Cabos MLS. I own and sell waterfront properties so I can address issues related to living on the water. I represented a custom builder for many years and have sold hundreds of new homes so, fire away with your questions regarding new home construction.
I'll do my best to be straight up and help if I can or I will tell you if I can not and who to contact in that event. I am not an attorney and can not provide legal advice. If you are having a dispute with a seller or buyer who has failed to live up to the contract terms, or a tenant that is always late with paying their rent, while I may not be able to help, I may be able to offer suggestions and then who else to contact.
Please, please, please, understand that real estate law, agency and tenant rights / law differs from state to state and so I will best serve those who have problems in Virginia, Washington DC or Mexico. While I am happy to answer all questions from any one who writes me and offer advice, please understnad that in some cases, I may not be able to help you at all. Please tell me what state your property is located in, if you have a problem with commissions, discharging agents, getting out of a contract, do us both a favor, first look in your documents for the language therein and when you write me, please say that you have re-read that wording.
If you have not yet hired your agent, write me for essential questions you should ask first and save yourself a lot of time, agony, misery and possible financial unhappiness.
Question Is termite damage to a deck and possibly a home in northern va enough to get out of our contract to purchase?
Answer Hello Jacquie,
Under most circumstances, when a Pest Inspection reveals the presence of termites or any wood destroying insects, the Seller is then obligated to have treatment performed by a licensed professional at the time of the inspection or if the Seller cannot be contacted, as soon as they can be to authorize it. If the Seller refuses to have that treatment done, a Buyer can void out the purchase agreement. A lender will refuse to close the loan until a certification of clear inspection and or treatment has been provided them.
As wood destroying insects are so prevalent in many states, Lenders require statements from Inspection companies to ensure that homes have been inspected, and that if insects are found, that they have been properly treated. In the contract language, there is no such escape clause outside of the Seller refusing to treat the home if critters are found.
Once a property has been treated, you have no reason to be concerned. Please follow their procedure of having them come back on a yearly basis to do an inspection (by the way, this is what every home owner should do even if an inspection does not reveal a problem) termites are everywhere in Virginia, just because they are not at a property at the time of an inspection does not mean they will not find their way there later.
It is customary for a Seller to repair termite damage if severe though repair of any damage can be negotiated.
If your contract was contingent upon a home inspection and you found items that you did not want to have to deal with or the inspector gave you an uncomfortable feeling in their overall evaluation, then yes, you can elect to void the contract under that provision.
You truly have nothing to worry about, once the property is treated, the bugs will be dead and gone, damaged wood can be replaced. It is a fact of life that there are such creatures and a proven system is in place to ensure you can move them out before you move in. Enjoy your new home with the knowledge that it will not be eaten from out under you.
If this does not answer your question, please write again.
