As a real estate agent, you pride yourself on helping prospective buyers find their dream home and helping your clients get the most bang for their buck when selling their property. But before you can close a deal, a lot goes into selling a home, including a potential pest inspection.
A pest inspection helps to ensure a home is free of pests like insect or rodent infestations. Unfortunately, just because your client can’t see pests in their home doesn’t mean they’re not there. A home inspection that finds rodents can dissuade buyers and cost you and your client a sale.
The good news is, rodent pest control is easy when you schedule a rodent inspection with a professional company like Attic Projects. Read on to learn more about this type of inspection, plus how real estate agents can help buyers and sellers alike with rodent pest control.
Is a Pest Inspection Necessary Before Closing?
A pest inspection isn’t a requirement for selling a home in all states. However, some states do have more specific regulations around pest inspections. For example, South Carolina requires a CL-100, a “Wood Infestation Report,” while California does not.
Although pest inspection isn’t a requirement before selling, there are several benefits for buyers and sellers alike (more on that later!).
While a pest inspection can benefit all parties involved, if you’re a real estate agent helping a seller, you should encourage them to schedule a pest inspection if they notice any of these signs of an infestation:
- Animal droppings
- Chewed walls and wires
- Damaged insulation
- Grease and dirt smudges
- Nesting
- Scurrying or scratching sounds
- Squeaking noises
If your sellers notice any of the above, encourage them to hire a professional company to inspect the issue further.
We recommend not having your sellers attempt DIY pest or rodent removal because removing pests and rodents yourself without the proper equipment can be harmful.
Benefits of Rodent Pest Control for Buyers
As a real estate agent, you, of course, want the home your buyers are investing in to be free of pests, and a pest inspection can provide that peace of mind. A pest inspection can help prevent diseases transmitted by pests and rodents such as hantavirus, leptospirosis, salmonellosis, and lymphocytic choriomeningitis.
Selling a house with pests can cause a deal to go south. A pest inspection can also help ensure a smooth closing process for you, the buyers, and the sellers. For example, some mortgage lenders require a home to be inspected for pests, rodents, termites, and the like before financing it. In addition, a pest inspection can help in the event a home appraiser finds worrisome signs that require further investigation.
Benefits of Rodent Pest Control for Sellers
A pest inspection also benefits your sellers too. You can advise your sellers to invest the time and money in a pest inspection before you list their property, which will help you get ahead of any problems. If the home inspection finds rodents, you’ll be able to remedy the issue before listing. Whether the home is free of pests from the start or requires humane rodent proofing and removal, you’ll be able to use your clean inspection report as a selling point.
What Happens During a Pest Inspection?
Whether you’re helping buyers or sellers with rodent pest control inspection, it’s a good idea to know what to inspect.
During a pest inspection, the interior and exterior of the property with be thoroughly inspected. During this time, the inspector will look for any signs of:
- Infestation
- Damaged wood
- Moist wood
- Mud tubes
- Bubbling paint
- Damaged wiring
- Droppings
If any of the above is found, the home will need to be pest and rodent-proofed. While companies may address an infestation differently, Attic Project’s approach to rodent proofing services begins with a thorough inspection to identify any entry points that the rodents use to get into the home. We will seal the areas off so that no rodents will get access again.
When our professionals make an attic rodent and rat-proof, they also remove all damaged insulation and inspect every wire, piece of drywall, and any other contaminated area that could have been chewed or soiled.
Call Attic Projects for Professional Rodent Removal
Whether you’re helping a couple buy their forever home or selling a house for a long-time client, you need a company you can turn to for professional rodent removal.
At Attic Projects, our licensed and bonded professionals are skilled at rodent proofing attics while ensuring every entry point is sealed. Real estate agents partner with us to ensure their clients are satisfied.
Contact us today to learn more about pest and rodent control or schedule a rodent-proofing appointment.
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