Pest Inspection Before Buying a Home

A home inspection before buying a new house is a necessary step before closing. As a potential buyer, you need to know about any damages or potential safety hazards, and you want peace of mind that what you are about to buy is in good condition. However, separate from the home inspection, but almost as important, is a pest inspection.

Serious problems with the home will be disclosed during a home inspection, but they do not always note what those problems could entail. For instance, cracks in the foundation or spaces around doors or windows can be an invitation for unwanted pests. Buying a new house means finding a home for you and your family, and not a home for insects or critters.

During a pest inspection, a professional will examine both the inside and outside of the property for any damages that may have been caused by pests. Just as a home inspector would look for moisture to check for mold, a pest inspector looks for moisture to check for pests. 

Other pest activity will leave pretty clear signs if they are nearby, such as pest droppings, discarded wings, or tunnels. The most serious pests that an inspector may look out for are termites and bedbugs, but they should also look for the more common pests as well. Carpenter ants, bees, cockroaches, fleas, mosquitos, and rodents are all fairly common, yet still destructive.

As much as you want to make sure that there are no pests in a house that you are about to move into, it would be wise to have a pest inspection of the house that you are trying to sell. Any signs of pests in the past need reassurance that the problem is gone. If there is a pest problem, you will bring in the professionals before any prospective buyers come along. And if there is not a pest problem, then the buyers will feel safer and more confident in the house’s condition.

Investing in a pest inspection is only a small step. If the inspection finds a problem, you will still need to pay for the treatment. That still raises the question of who should pay for the inspection, the buyer or the seller? Either may pay, or the cost can be negotiable between both parties. Your real estate agent may even let you know what the typical practice is in the area, or if there are any regulations regarding the matter.

The sooner you can identify a pest problem, the sooner you can address it. Do not let pests spoil the purchase of a new home or the sale of your current home. For more information on pest inspections, call Van Den Berge Pest Control today at 616-392-7367. 

Trust the locally owned, widely renowned experts at Van Den Berge Pest Control for all of your pest needs. With over 100 years of combined experience throughout the Holland, MI-based pest control team, you know you’re in excellent hands with our state-certified experts.