Buying & Selling Real Estate
Market News & Data
General Info
Real Estate Strategies
Landlording & Rental Properties
Real Estate Professionals
Financial, Tax, & Legal
Real Estate Classifieds
Reviews & Feedback
Buying a house with mold in the bathroom
I've spent an hour doing internet research. Apparently mold health issues are exaggerated and removal services are oversold and often a ripoff. But I still do not know what to do.
I am inspecting a possible purchase. The inspector found what seemed to be mold in the first floor bathroom. There was a leak previously, which supposedly was fixed.
Seller's agent a few days later said that it wasn't mold - that "something" spilled in the bathroom. I find this hard to believe, because it's head level and its on opposite sides of the bathroom. Inspector suggested it might have been even painted over.
My real estate agent is taking his word at face value. According to her, there is no issue. "He seems to be trustworthy" "It would only cost $1,000 to take care of it, if it was a problem"
What would you do in my shoes? I was looking at test kits from home depot. Very affordable, but it can take 3 weeks to get results.
Alex,
Where is the potential mold located?
What approx size area?
Accessible?
I would not take anyone's word as trustworthy. Real estate agents are just trying to close a deal. $1,000 for mold removal is a made up number. Was the inspector a licensed inspector? I'm not sure about your state but here in WI an inspector is required to submit copies of his report to both buyers and sellers.
In my opinion mold remediation is a bit overblown. Depending on how bad the mold is you can take care of it yourself. Just make sure you wear a mask and the appropriate protective equipment.
I would just ensure that you can determine the extent of the problem and are fairly compensated in the transaction.
The home I just purchased had some deteriorated grout in the tile surrounding the window in the downstairs bathroom, this was negotiated out of the price. There was mold, I removed all tile, tub, drywall (why was this even used for a shower surround?) and even replaced some of the framing on the exterior wall. Any portions that were not removed because of minimal damage were wiped down with bleach and painted over with killz.
I think mold removal is overblown but at the same time you want it gone. If you can negotiate something you feel is fair and can accurately determine the costs to repair, it should be fine.
For mine, it was obvious because the shower wall was 'soft'. You could literally push on the tile and it would flex about a 1/4 inch.
Best of luck!
Alex.
The fact that you say it's at "head-level" does suggest that it wasn't some random spill.
As for the remediation cost, you can probably assume that the cost will START at $1,000. Yes, that's a made up number, but let's consider a worst-case scenario.
Consider that the walls that you see as stained will have to be removed. Then consider the cost to rebuild and reprint or re-tile. And, if you start tearing the wall out and then find that the back side of the wallboard is covered in mold, you have to find a way to safely contain it - thereby preventing spores from flying all around the house. You can eat up a bunch of money quickly in a small area doing that. (Honestly, it may not wind up being a grand, but it is gonna' have some costs and will involve a few days time.)
I am more concerned with the "casual attitude" being taken by the real estate professionals (and I use that word loosely in this instance). The sellers AND buyers agents should BOTH do everything in their power to get you specifics about what happened in that area, and they should do it NOW!
Many states have a "mold disclosure form" that must be addressed by sellers and their agents at the time of listing. ALL states have some form of "environmental disclosure form" that must also be considered. If there isn't one attached to the sales documents (disclosure) and yet you see stains like those described, then someone isn't doing their job. That, or the seller is an outright liar and he/she is exposing all parties to a later lawsuit.
My suggestion would be to have your inspector (or your agent) get more details on the spill and then make your decision. If they continue to pass it off as no big deal, then they should surely be able to explain details on what caused the stains ... And do so in writing.
A small area of mold won't necessarily ruin a deal. You just want the specific details so that you can accurately determine your upcoming repair costs.
Good luck!
Travis West
I have seen many attempts to cover mold by painting; eventually the mold becomes noticeable again. Sounds like this house might have had a cover up ...
If it's not a problem then the seller won't have any hesitation in providing a mold-free certification report from a bonded mold inspection company.
stephen
-------------------
Originally posted by @Alex Silang:
I've spent an hour doing internet research. Apparently mold health issues are exaggerated and removal services are oversold and often a ripoff. But I still do not know what to do.
I am inspecting a possible purchase. The inspector found what seemed to be mold in the first floor bathroom. There was a leak previously, which supposedly was fixed.
Seller's agent a few days later said that it wasn't mold - that "something" spilled in the bathroom. I find this hard to believe, because it's head level and its on opposite sides of the bathroom. Inspector suggested it might have been even painted over.
My real estate agent is taking his word at face value. According to her, there is no issue. "He seems to be trustworthy" "It would only cost $1,000 to take care of it, if it was a problem"
What would you do in my shoes? I was looking at test kits from home depot. Very affordable, but it can take 3 weeks to get results.