I Failed My WDO Inspection in Spring Hill. Now What?
You were not expecting that. The inspection came back and now there is something on the report and your real estate agent is calling and everyone seems to be in a panic. You are trying to figure out whether this means the deal is dead, whether you are on the hook for repairs and what actually needs to happen before you can close.
Take a breath. A failed WDO inspection does not automatically kill a real estate transaction in Spring Hill. Here is what it actually means and what your options are.
What Failed Actually Means on a WDO Report
A WDO inspection report does not technically use the word failed. What it documents is evidence of wood destroying organisms or conditions that indicate their presence. That evidence falls into a few categories. Active termite activity means live termites or fresh mud tubes indicating current feeding. Previous termite activity means evidence of past damage or old mud tubes that are no longer active. Wood destroying beetle activity means exit holes in wood consistent with beetle infestation. Wood decay fungi means moisture damaged wood showing signs of fungal decay.
The severity of what was found determines how big a deal it actually is. A single old mud tube with no active termite activity and no visible wood damage is a very different finding from active termite infestation with structural wood damage in multiple areas. The report documents what was found but it does not tell you what it is going to cost to fix. That requires a separate assessment.
Who Is Responsible for Fixing It
In most Spring Hill real estate transactions the discovery of termite activity or wood destroying organism damage during the inspection period opens up negotiation between buyer and seller. The standard approach is one of three things.
The seller pays for treatment and any required repairs before closing. The seller provides a credit to the buyer at closing to cover the cost of treatment and repairs. The buyer accepts the property as is with the understanding of what was found and handles treatment and repairs after closing at their own expense.
Which option makes sense depends on the severity of what was found, how motivated both parties are to close the transaction and what the contract says about inspection contingencies. Your real estate agent handles that negotiation. Your job is to understand what was actually found and what it will cost to address it so you have accurate numbers to negotiate with.
Getting a Treatment Estimate Before You Negotiate
Before your agent starts negotiating on your behalf you need to know what treatment and repair actually costs for what was found. A seller credit of a number pulled out of thin air is not useful. You need a real estimate from a licensed pest control company that tells you exactly what the treatment will cost and ideally a contractor estimate for any structural repairs needed.
Call us as soon as you get the WDO report. We will review what was found, come out to the property and give you a clear treatment estimate you can use in the negotiation. If the report shows active termite activity we can also give you a realistic assessment of how extensive the treatment needs to be based on what the inspector documented.
What Happens to Your Timeline
A WDO finding does not have to push your closing date significantly if everyone moves quickly. Treatment can often be scheduled and completed within days of the decision being made. The lender needs documentation that the issue has been addressed which means a follow up inspection or a treatment completion certificate depending on what your lender requires.
The key is not letting the negotiation drag on. Every week of back and forth between buyer and seller is a week closer to your rate lock expiration or your lease end date. Get the estimates quickly, negotiate fast and get the treatment scheduled as soon as the agreement is reached.
What If the Seller Refuses to Address It
If the seller refuses to treat or credit and you’re not willing to accept the property with the WDO findings you have the right to walk away during the inspection contingency period and get your earnest money back. A WDO finding that the seller refuses to address is a legitimate reason to exit the contract in Florida.
But before you walk away make sure you understand what you’re actually walking away from. An old mud tube with no active activity and minimal past damage isn’t the same situation as active termites with significant structural damage. Get a professional assessment of what was found before you make any decisions about the transaction.
Call us and we’ll help you understand exactly what the report means and what it’ll cost to fix it. Our WDO inspection and treatment estimates in Spring Hill give you the information you need to make smart decisions before and after closing.