Tips & Trends for the Flagstaff Real Estate Market:
Past Articles [September 2002]
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Wood Infestation Report
If you are in the market to buy a home you should consider the possibility that there are termites in the structure.
The Arizona Association of Realtors Residential Resale Purchase Contract provides that a Wood Infestation Report (WIR) be conducted on a property prior to close of escrow, and in some cases your lender may require it. The WIR is a document prepared by a licensed pest control company that informs the buyer of the results of the inspection. It is a two page document that describes the property and discusses areas of concern such as conditions that are conducive to providing habitat for termites and the location of live infestation if termites are present.
A WIR is not a structural damage report. It is also not a guarantee of the absence of wood-destroying organisms. The inspection is a tool in evaluating the soundness of a structure; however there are limitations. The inspector cannot look at every part of a house. As a buyer you should look the report over carefully and discuss the information with the inspector. After you purchase you should have the property inspected annually.
There is no state law that requires a WIR for the sale of a home. The WIR is a provision in the AAR contract. It can be deleted if the homebuyer so desires but I would never advise it. The report usually cost between eighty and ninety dollars, and can be conducted by any number of pest control applicators. There are several state licensed companies’ here in Flagstaff that do excellent work.
Pest Control Applicators are regulated by the Arizona Structural Pest Control Commission. To find out more information about their mission check out www.sb.state.az.us/ I found it to be quite informative.
It was once said that there are only two types of houses in Arizona, those that have termites and those that are going to get them. While this may have have been true in the past it no longer has to be the case. Chemicals in use today are very effective in the prevention and control of termites. If you suspect that you have wood infestation in your home I suggest that you enlist the services of a qualified applicator. The cost is minimal compared to the long term consequences.
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