So I Just Finished the Home Inspection...

[Vincent Villani]

Hi everyone!

I wanted to run you guys through the results of a home inspection that has just been completed, as I'm not really sure how to proceed or who to contact. This would be my first investment property purchased, and I would be living in the home as a house hack for the 1st year. Appreciate the time anyone takes in reading over this and providing input.

This particular property resides in northern NJ, as I need to move into this area. I work primarily in North NJ as well as Brooklyn and Queens - sometimes Manhattan, sometimes Long Island (I'm a field rep). As some of you are aware, many north NJ multi-families were built in the 1920s-40s, so there is always some work required. This particular house is being sold by a flipper, so it was purchased 2 years ago and was renovated pretty well. New roof, new interior, new water heaters, etc. Looks great.

The results of my home inspection contained the following concerns:

1. There is evidence of water leakage and damage throughout the basement. The inspector came to the conclusion that this is most likely due to the perimeter of the home being sloped in. For example, you can see from the basement windows that the level of the landscape is another 6in-foot higher than the dirt at the window, so the landscape slopes inward, leading to water flowing towards the house at all times. The inspector stated this could most likely get resolved just by adding a layer of dirt around the house for a few hundred bucks. This would level out the land. He mentioned most excavating or construction (are these typically the entities for this?) companies would look at this and say, "Get a French Drain," but this is manipulative since this process costs $10k+ and it is not necessary. Thoughts on this statement?
2. There is evidence of past termite damage to the floorboards in the basement ceiling. However, the inspector mentioned he did notice poison injection sites on the outside of the house, so he assumes this was treated. He recommended getting the necessary paperwork to ensure this is the case. Who should I contact to verify this? The seller/seller's realtor? If this was done before his/her occupancy, where can I obtain proof of this? Could an exterminator verify this by doing a consultation?
3. There are signs of mold. The inspector stated he guarantees 100% that a swab test will come up positive. I gave him the extra $300 to do so (how's that price sound?). Once this occurs, he ensures the current seller now has this documented, and must disclose this to anyone purchasing in the future. So, if he refuses to get this treated (I'm not), he's kind of screwed in the future, correct?
4. There is clear evidence of oil tanks previously being present. This is not necessarily a concern, however, the inspector suggests obtaining an "OPRA" form from the city to try and find paperwork of an underground oil tank being removed. If not, he stated that he could do a "sweep" for $250 that would identify if there is an underground tank with contaminated soil. If so, he states that this must be corrected or else it must be disclosed to every potential buyer. Does anyone know where I can find out more about this or get documentation of it being removed?
5. Lastly, the attic was not insulated. This is not a room I think anyone would be interested in using - maybe for storage. The worry here is that it smells of urine, or something alike, leading me to believe there could be a rodent issue in the attic. How would you combat this?