My Lender Is Asking for a WDO Inspection in Spring Hill. What Even Is That?
You are in the middle of buying a home in Spring Hill and your lender just added something to the list of things you need before closing. A WDO inspection. You have never heard that term before and you are not sure if this is a standard thing or something specific to this property or this lender. You have enough to deal with right now and the last thing you need is another inspection you do not understand.
Here is what it is and why your lender is asking for it.
WDO Stands for Wood Destroying Organism
A WDO inspection is a licensed inspection of a home specifically looking for evidence of wood destroying organisms. That includes termites, wood boring beetles and wood decaying fungi. It is done by a licensed pest control professional not a general home inspector and it results in an official Florida state inspection report that documents what was found.
Your general home inspector is not qualified to perform a WDO inspection and their report does not satisfy the WDO requirement. They are two completely separate inspections covering completely different things. Your home inspector looks at the mechanical and structural systems of the home. The WDO inspector looks specifically for evidence of wood destroying organisms that could compromise the structural integrity of the home over time.
Why Your Lender Is Requiring It
Lenders require WDO inspections in Florida because termites and wood destroying organisms are a significant financial risk in this state. A home that has active termite damage or wood destroying beetle activity has compromised structural integrity that affects the value of the collateral the lender is financing. Before a lender will approve a mortgage on a Florida home they want documentation that the structure is free of wood destroying organisms or that any identified issues have been addressed.
Florida has some of the highest termite pressure in the country. The sandy soil throughout Hernando County creates ideal conditions for subterranean termites year round. Lenders operating in Florida know this and they protect themselves and their borrowers by requiring WDO documentation before closing.
Not every lender requires it on every transaction but most conventional loans, FHA loans and VA loans in Florida require a WDO inspection as a standard part of the closing process. If your lender is asking for one it is because their guidelines require it for Florida properties.
What the Inspection Actually Covers
The WDO inspector walks the full accessible interior and exterior of the home. They check the foundation perimeter for mud tubes, check accessible attic framing for evidence of termite or beetle activity, probe baseboards and door frames for soft or hollow wood, inspect garage walls and any wood to soil contact areas around the exterior and document anything they find on the official Florida WDO inspection form.
The inspection takes about 45 minutes to an hour depending on the size of the home and how accessible the attic and other areas are. You get a completed official report the same day or the following business day that your lender, real estate agent and closing agent can use to proceed with the transaction.
What Happens If Something Is Found
If the inspection finds evidence of active termite activity or wood destroying organism damage it gets documented on the report. That doesn’t automatically kill the deal. It means the issue needs to be addressed before closing either through treatment, repair or negotiation between buyer and seller about who handles it. Finding an issue before closing gives you options. Finding the same issue after you own the home gives you a repair bill.
If the inspection comes back clean you get a report documenting that the home showed no evidence of wood destroying organisms at the time of inspection. That report goes to your lender and you move forward with closing.
Call us and we’ll get your WDO inspection scheduled quickly to fit your closing timeline. Our WDO inspection service in Spring Hill is licensed, completed on the official Florida state form and delivered fast so your transaction keeps moving.