house has termites

What is the name of your state? Washington

We bought our home 2 1/2 years ago in Oct. The following spring we had an infestation of what we thought were ants. they are everywhere. We found out this year that they are termites and that there was not a bug inspection prior to the purchase. We now cannot sell the house or afford to repair the damage and get rid of the termites. What are our options?

Also if we are forclosed on because we are not going to pay for a house that is going to fall down around us what is the proceedure and will we have to go to court etc.


Thanks

[HomeGuru]

Originally posted by jrglassblower
What is the name of your state? Washington

We bought our home 2 1/2 years ago in Oct. The following spring we had an infestation of what we thought were ants. they are everywhere. We found out this year that they are termites and that there was not a bug inspection prior to the purchase. We now cannot sell the house or afford to repair the damage and get rid of the termites. What are our options?

Also if we are forclosed on because we are not going to pay for a house that is going to fall down around us what is the proceedure and will we have to go to court etc.


Thanks

**A: contact your insurance agent and your lender.

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

TOP 10 Things That Happen When You Have A Termite Infestation - -

NUMBER 10: Just like in the cartoons, your house turns to sawdust.

NUMBER 9: Start thinking "chocolate covered".

NUMBER 8: What are you complaining about? When I was a kid, everyone lived on bugs and rainwater, and we loved it!

NUMBER 7: Import your very own aardvark!

NUMBER 6: Your exterminators tell you, "We're only here for the beer."

NUMBER 5: Your wife serves you eggs, pancakes, and a side of termites.

NUMBER 4: The exterminator "tents" your house and it implodes!

NUMBER 3: No, they don't glow in the dark. You're thinking of fireflies.

NUMBER 2: The biggest termite makes a pass at your wife.

AND NOW, the NUMBER ONE Thing That Happens When You Have A Termite Infestation - -

All of a sudden a "Westside Story" knife fight breaks out between the termites and ****roaches in your living room!


IAAL

[HomeGuru]

IAAL's Top Ten Rocks.

[Souix]

Originally posted by jrglassblower
What is the name of your state? Washington

We bought our home 2 1/2 years ago in Oct. The following spring we had an infestation of what we thought were ants. they are everywhere. We found out this year that they are termites and that there was not a bug inspection prior to the purchase. We now cannot sell the house or afford to repair the damage and get rid of the termites. What are our options?

Also if we are forclosed on because we are not going to pay for a house that is going to fall down around us what is the proceedure and will we have to go to court etc.


Thanks

***Last I heard, termites were not that expensive to get rid of. So now whats your excuse? Are you sure they are termites? The Northwest is famous for our Carpenter Ants. They look like giant ants and do not eat wood, they burrow in it. Hire an exteminator and get rid of them, then go on a plan to have it done on an annual basis. Keep making your house payment so you don't ruin your credit over something like this.

[HomeGuru]

Writer, why did you not get a pest inspection before you closed and why did the lender not require it? Did you even get a home inspection and a survey and use a real estate agent?

[HomeGuru]

Where is the writer?

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

[quote]Originally posted by HomeGuru


Where is the writer?

================================

My response:

Must've been eaten by hungry hourdes of ravenous termites!

IAAL

[HomeGuru]

Are you implying that the writer has a heart of wood or maybe just heartwood?

Originally posted by Souix
***Last I heard, termites were not that expensive to get rid of. So now whats your excuse? Are you sure they are termites? The Northwest is famous for our Carpenter Ants. They look like giant ants and do not eat wood, they burrow in it. Hire an exteminator and get rid of them, then go on a plan to have it done on an annual basis. Keep making your house payment so you don't ruin your credit over something like this.

It will cost us $10,000 to get rid of them. they are in the walls and under the house. We went to the building inspector, the exterminator, and the county extension agent and had them identified. Believe me they are termites.

[HomeGuru]

[quote][i]Originally posted by HomeGuru
Writer, why did you not get a pest inspection before you closed and why did the lender not require it? Did you even get a home inspection and a survey and use a real estate agent?

Originally posted by HomeGuru
Writer, why did you not get a pest inspection before you closed and why did the lender not require it? Did you even get a home inspection and a survey and use a real estate agent?

We went through a real estate agent and there were two appraisals and not being a real extate broker or a lawyer, etc we did not know that we needed to require this. The lender should have obviously required it.

[Souix]

Originally posted by jrglassblower
We went through a real estate agent and there were two appraisals and not being a real extate broker or a lawyer, etc we did not know that we needed to require this. The lender should have obviously required it.

***Well 2 and a half years ago would be what? Mid 2000 or 2001 and then the following spring would have been what? 1 or 2 years ago when you discovered the termite infestation? If you are going to file a claim against the realtor or the lender you had better hurry, your statute of limitations is running from date of discovery and it may be only 2 years in Washington.

I agree, lender should have required an inspection and realtor should have suggested that one be done, regardless of financing. Had the seller had one prior to closing perhaps?***

[HomeGuru]

Originally posted by jrglassblower
We went through a real estate agent and there were two appraisals and not being a real extate broker or a lawyer, etc we did not know that we needed to require this. The lender should have obviously required it.

**A: real estate appraisers are not home inspectors or termite inspectors.
Dig deeper and find out why your real estate agent did not ask you to get these inspections and why the lender did not require same.
Rather than just giving up, take all the documents (cost estimates, photos of the damages etc.) and send a certified letter to the lender and ask for help or propose to give the deed to the lender.