House Hunting: Visible termite damage

Unless you know what you are looking at, you may be looking at old termite damage or water damage.

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Should I run and not look back?

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Yes, in this housing market why bother when there are thousands of homes available?

old damage, current infestation, whatever... there's a price for everything. If it is everything ya want in a place then don't fear IF you have a clear definition of the issue and get commensurate price adjustment. You must know exactly though what the cost of that to you will be. Not worth rolling the dice on that investment otherwise.

Watch yourself on deals like this. Usually tons of not visible damage. And the homeowners don't want to have to disclose the extent of the damage via providing prospective buyers a copy of the report.

The sellers can go either way here and it is all in how you negotiate. They may let you negotiate down based upon the findings or they may just want you to walk if you see too far down the rabbit hole.

If that damage is that deep into the interior of the house, I would want to see what it looked like in the walls.

You should pry that piece of trim off and see the bottom plate looks like.

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Normally it was in a corner or located on an interior wall, near the bathrooms. The termites would enter from the holes cut in the slab for the water and drain lines.

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Yep, this damage was in a corner.

It's a HUD forclosed home, so I will have to make an offer and get it accepted before I can have an inspection. I like the house. If the damage is too much, or too wide spread, I can cancel the deal. I think its worth a shot.

Not that big a deal down here in S La. at least hal of the homes here will experience damage such as this.Very easily treated and repaired. Place your bid,HUD will have to make it right, and the home is inspected out the arse anyway when dealing with them. Good luck your future nieghbors are counting on you............

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2 types of houses in Southern Louisiana
Those that have had Termites
And Those that are gonna get em.

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Yeah true. Also, termite damage isn't what it is made out to be unless it goes untreated. This is very rarely the case becuase most of the time it is easy to spot early on. That is probably early onset and very likely no structural damage.

Now if it hasn't been treated then you may have to deal with that.