QUESTION: Do I need to have a termite inspection when I buy a home??

ANSWER: YES ! ! !

Termites love homes in the Maryland / DC / Northern Virginia areas. We have everything that termites love. We have a moist climate. We have soil that is easy to tunnel. We have homes that are primarily wood framed construction. We have a very damp atmosphere.

We also have a lot of Maryland and Virginia home owners that do NOT get termite inspections on a regular basis. Homefinders.com believes that, since you paid SEVERAL HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS for your home, you should be willing to pay $50-60 a year to have this expensive real estate inspected for termite infestation. But, most home owners do not have annual termite inspections. Most home owners have annual or mileage inspections for their vehicle, but not on their home.

Government backed mortgages, FHA and VA loans will require a termite inspection. Most conventional loans will not.

Question: Can't I buy a brick home and avoid the risk of termites??

Answer: You can buy a brick home, but the framing is probably wood frame. Further, most homes have some wood in the construction, i.e. wood plates between the foundation and the brick ledge, wood sills for doors and windows, etc. Wood is almost indispensable in home construction in
Maryland and Virginia. Even vinyl window frames often sit on wood wells. It's important that termites be kept OUT, not treated AFTER they infest.

Question: What happens if the termite inspector finds termites? Will the seller have the treatment done??

Answer: YES, in most cases. Our contract requires that the buyers pay for the inspection and that the seller pay for repairs.

Question: I've seen homes for sale that offer to transfer their "Termite Warranty". Isn't that as good as having a termite inspection??

Answer: NO ! ! While many termite warranties would transfer to the new owner, some do not. It's in the very fine print. Also - TERMITES HAVE NOT USUALLY READ THE WARRANTY