Hey, it looks like a circus tent in your neighborhood. And a patriotic one at that!
Any clue what it is?
As a Carlsbad home seller, the circus tent may very well end up in your yard. By choice, of course.
Carlsbad homes, like many Southern California homes, often have problems with termites. It seems to be a fact of life here. I am not an expert – for that you need to consult someone who is. But here are some things to consider.
There are 5 species of termites in Southern California (this is not my knowledge, I found it on this website – check it out for more information).
When a home is sold, it is common for the seller to have a termite inspection completed by a reputable structural pest control inspection company (well, they SHOULD be reputable, they aren’t all from what I’ve heard) as part of the process; such inspections are not mandated by state law, BUT mortgage companies will often require the buyer to provide proof that the home they are buying is free of active infestation by termites unless it is new construction.
The way in which the inspection and fees are to be handled, as well as the eradication of active termites and repair of any damage, is negotiated in the Residential Purchase Agreement and Joint Escrow Instructions (Form RPA Item #4), and often the supplemental Wood Destroying Pest Inspection and Allocation of Cost Addendum (Form WPA) is included. Commonly the seller pays for the inspection and getting rid of evident infestation or infection plus recommended repairs but this can be negotiated.
Depending on the results of the inspection, a seller may have some options to take care of active termite infestation (talk to the experts to find out what your options are).
- Tenting (yep, that’s the circus tent) and fumigation have been commonly used to eradicate termites. Homeowners (and pets) must vacate the premises for a day or two during the process.
- Another method (you may have heard it advertised on TV) is Orange oil which is viewed as being an environmentally safe alternative (Xtermite is a company that offers this method).
- There are other techniques as well – check with , including heat, cold, and electrocution. Check with the inspection company on your options.
An inspection report will be time limited, plus a buyer can decide to have their own inspection as part of their due diligence. Normally a clearance will need to be obtained, after the termites have been cleared and the damages repaired, and provided to the buyer’s lender in order for escrow to close.
As a Carlsbad home buyer, know that the seller only needs to provide a clearance (if your lender requires it); they can choose how to take care of the cause of the damaged wood and the repairs themselves as long as they meet the provisions of the Structural Pest Control Act (they must repair the existing damage and take care of the “cause” of the damage in order to receive a clearance). And it is more complicated in the case of a condominium where there are common walls. You may wish to have your own repair work done (at your expense) if you are concerned that it will not be done to your satisfaction, or negotiate this further with the seller if they are willing.
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If I can provide more information about this community or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360
or email me at JDowler@remax.net.
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If I can provide more information about Carlsbad homes and real estate for sale and surrounding areas, the housing market in general (or locally), or otherwise assist you, friends or family in a home search or sale, please contact my mobile office or text me at (760) 840-1360 or email me at JeffDowlerSolutions@gmail.com
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We see the circus tents here in the Tampa Bay area of Florida frequently - some companies use colorful tents, others just solid colors. It's interesting when a huge place is tented, such as a hotel!
Here the buyers pay for the inspection and the sellers pay for the treatment. To protect our sellers we put in the contract that they will treat only if the inspection finds LIVE termites.
Never heard of orange oil or electrocution. Guess that's one more thing we'll learn from California.
Jeff, I have never seen those tents around here, but if someone did put one up I bet they would be the talk of the neighborhood :) :)
I didn't know that there were five species of termites.
Sharon - yep all sort of colors - depends on the company. Here the seller typically pays for the inspection but there are exceptions. Orange oil is becoming more prevalent. Not sure about the electrocution usage - it was mentioned in my research but I do not know how often it is actually used.
Jeff
George - there seem to be different termites out here (more dry wood) than the subterranean ones we had in Boston. They were rare in some areas and common in others (including one of the priciest streets in cambridge). They are treated differently I believe - I never saw any tenting.
Jeff
Hey JD,
You are so full of information! I've lived here all my life and I never knew we had 5 kinds of termites in good old SoCal. I think you can write on just about anything and make it sound interesting!
Hi Jeff - If you have to get rid of those little critters you may as well be festive! Pretty cool idea.
Your Fort Worth Friend,
Linda
Lisa - we had our house tented, too, before we bought it. It seems like we are seeing less tenting and more other alternatives, which makes a lot of sense to me.
Jeff
Lola - it was a brand new experience for me. Termites weren't actually all that common where I was selling real estate before.
Jeff
Lynda - hey, thanks. You learn something every day, don't you? I thought it was important for folks to know, especially new people in the area who are not familiar with how things are commonly done.
Jeff
Hi Linda - Thanks. They really are colorful tents, especially the red and yellow ones I have seen. And with the hills in some cases you can see them from quite a distance.
Good to hear from you. When do you start your new role?
Jeff
I just wrote a blog about this here also, we had some unwanted criters and boy did it suck and the expense was well lets say a lot higher than I thought it was going to be!
Jeff,
I've never actually seen it but there is another way other than tenting...I think it's a bit more money but you don't need to move everything out during the process as you might through tenting.
Kaye - good question. I am not sure but am looking into it. From what I can seein the board's minutes it is something that is being discussed.
Jeff
Todd -significant termite damage CAN be costly to repair. Homeowners are not always well informed about what they should be doing to avoid these problems.
Jeff
Neal - well, the tenting IS an inconvenience for sure, unless the seller has already vacated. Many are reluctant to take that step. There are other methods, as you say.
Jeff