Family dream house become nightmare

[sonocativo]

No, that's why an inspection is recommended before buying. If an inpector finds that there is asbestos, the buyer can negotiate with the seller about it. Some sellers are willing to reduce the house price so the buyer pays for asbetos removal done by hazmat only and for new wallboards. etc.

If an inspection was not done, and the buyer buys the house and finds out about it, that's too bad and too late for them to negotiate with the seller after the sale.

You can say I watch too much HGTV. Hey sono, see, I learned something from TV. Don't tell me the show is fake.

BUT there are some insulation, sidings and flooring that has asbestos...you cannot tell if it is actual asbestos until lab tested.... I know, worked with that and lead based paints... you have to be specially trained and state licensed to deal with that, which MOST standard home inspectors do not qualify for, they are protected by a clause that its "possibly" lead or asbestos, then its up to you to pay for an actual test, which can run from a few hundred into the thousands.

 

[diehardbiker]

Yup, usually at buyer's expenses.

BUT there are some insulation, sidings and flooring that has asbestos...you cannot tell if it is actual asbestos until lab tested.... I know, worked with that and lead based paints... you have to be specially trained and state licensed to deal with that, which MOST standard home inspectors do not qualify for, they are protected by a clause that its "possibly" lead or asbestos, then its up to you to pay for an actual test, which can run from a few hundred into the thousands.

 

[diehardbiker]

FYI: When I bought my house, yes I paid my inspector, all they did was look around then make report. No special test taken, and there is note that additional test recommended for lead, asbestos, and has fees, its up to me to go ahead or not. I declined them cause I know for sure no way asbestos or lead is in my house.

Remember, if I elected to pay, and found out something what can I do? I can forget buy it but I am losing money already.

No, that's why an inspection is recommended before buying. If an inpector finds that there is asbestos, the buyer can negotiate with the seller about it. Some sellers are willing to reduce the house price so the buyer pays for asbetos removal done by hazmat only and for new wallboards. etc.

If an inspection was not done, and the buyer buys the house and finds out about it, that's too bad and too late for them to negotiate with the seller after the sale.

You can say I watch too much HGTV. Hey sono, see, I learned something from TV. Don't tell me the show is fake.

 

[sonocativo]

all an inspector does is look for structural defects, code violations and potential damages. Everything else is optional and at buyers expenses as DHB stated, you lose money if theres a problem, unless you can prove it was omitted by the seller and they had knowledge of it beforehand.... if you find out before 10 years you can sue if problems arrise before that timeframe, otherwise youre SOL.

 

[diehardbiker]

10 years isn't only thing can turn homeowner SOL, if house was sold as Foreclosed, sheriff sale, tax collection sale, etc then its SOL as soon as moment its sold.

all an inspector does is look for structural defects, code violations and potential damages. Everything else is optional and at buyers expenses as DHB stated, you lose money if theres a problem, unless you can prove it was omitted by the seller and they had knowledge of it beforehand.... if you find out before 10 years you can sue if problems arrise before that timeframe, otherwise youre SOL.

 

[Jiro]

How do you expect realtor knows? They have dealt with thousands of homes sold in the past. There is no way Realtor would know beforehand without seller informing them. Its easier to believe that realtor have no clue otherwise.

The only difference is that realtor is required to inform what seller disclosed to them, if seller didn't disclose to the realtor then realtor have nothing to disclose and can't be held liable for.

the realtor isn't selling several dozens or hundreds or thousands home at one time.

realtor does very much and should know what's happening in his area because it's a local area. very seldom that a realtor sells a place from far away from his/her home area. only 2 possibilities that he never knew about it - he's a lousy realtor.... or he really honestly didn't know as the seller did not disclose it

but come on... the realtor was really unaware of it? in a meth house? not a single whiff? or anything at all?

 

[Jiro]

Still, cops may not be aware that there was drug activities that have come and gone. Sometimes addict would get paranoid, pack up and move before getting bust, then how would you know for certain?

for case like that? the best source of info would be.... the neighbors

 

[CrazyPaul]

BUT there are some insulation, sidings and flooring that has asbestos...you cannot tell if it is actual asbestos until lab tested.... I know, worked with that and lead based paints... you have to be specially trained and state licensed to deal with that, which MOST standard home inspectors do not qualify for, they are protected by a clause that its "possibly" lead or asbestos, then its up to you to pay for an actual test, which can run from a few hundred into the thousands.

Right, I forgot to mention that if an inspector suspects asbestos, he'd recommend a specialist to confirm it. I saw that on HGTV as well.

 

[Jiro]

Right, I forgot to mention that if an inspector suspects asbestos, he'd recommend a specialist to confirm it. I saw that on HGTV as well.

expensive. cost adds up. I'd pack up and leave. and threaten my realtor - if you don't do your homework well... you're fired.

 

[Reba]

I'm going to ask my daughter about this topic. She's a licensed Realtor.

When TCS and I helped our neighbor sell her house, the Realtor asked us all kinds of disclosure questions. He also used a measuring tape and double-checked all the measurements of the house, not relying on just county records.

I'm also going to ask about what's involved in decontaminating a meth house. We have a friend in the cleaning/restoration business.

 

[CrazyPaul]

all an inspector does is look for structural defects, code violations and potential damages. Everything else is optional and at buyers expenses as DHB stated, you lose money if theres a problem, unless you can prove it was omitted by the seller and they had knowledge of it beforehand.... if you find out before 10 years you can sue if problems arrise before that timeframe, otherwise youre SOL.

I thought 10 years were for new houses only.

BTW, most of the times contractors on HGTV tell new owners about mold found inside a wall after the wall is removed and that previous owners are not at fault because they can't see mold inside the wall.

 

[Reba]

In the meantime, this is interesting:

". . . When inspecting a house, look for telltale signs of meth production, said Mazzuca. If there are old cans, bottles or packages of substances like acetone, muriatic acid, brake cleaner, drain cleaner, iodine, paint thinner, phosphorus or ether lying around, that's a big red flag. So are rubber gloves or tubing, dust masks, propane tanks, coolers and camp stoves.

Even if there are no visible signs, buyers in areas of high meth use should test for contamination with kits that cost about $50. Meth Lab Cleanup sells a kit for $55, which includes the lab work. If a test turns up positive, a more comprehensive one can be conducted by a professional for between $500 and $700, according to Mazzuca.

Beware of cheap foreclosed properties, which are usually sold "as is." Many meth users have messy lives. They lose their homes to foreclosure and the properties are often trashed and abandoned. Some are quickly resold at rock-bottom prices.

Once it's been determined that a house is contaminated, the cost of cleaning it up usually falls to the current owner, according to Sigmund. That can run $10,000 or more.
Sigmund says he knows of no case where the buyer successfully sued a prior owner to recover the money. And there's little chance of collecting anything anyway. The former owners are typically meth users themselves and the small labs they built are often to feed their own habits.

"Meth heads are typically low-lifes, disgusting, filthy people," said Mazzuca. "There's not a lot of money involved."

http://money.cnn.com/2013/02/12/real_estate/meth-lab-house/

 

[Reba]

Something else to worry about:

Some people now make meth using portable labs--that is, they make the meth in their cars, sometimes parking in mall parking lots. So, it's possible that you could by a used car with meth contamination. (Although I would assume most meth lab cars are in such awful condition that no one would want to buy them.)

 

[Jiro]

Even if there are no visible signs, buyers in areas of high meth use should test for contamination with kits that cost about $50. Meth Lab Cleanup sells a kit for $55, which includes the lab work. If a test turns up positive, a more comprehensive one can be conducted by a professional for between $500 and $700, according to Mazzuca.

good gracious! I would never move to an areas of high meth use!

Beware of cheap foreclosed properties, which are usually sold "as is." Many meth users have messy lives. They lose their homes to foreclosure and the properties are often trashed and abandoned. Some are quickly resold at rock-bottom prices.

that's why my parents forbade me to even consider a foreclosed properties. they said a foreclosed house is a bad luck... a bad omen for me.

 

[diehardbiker]

Did I said in specific time frame? I havent mentioned that part, what that means is over time or life of the realtor.

the realtor isn't selling several dozens or hundreds or thousands home at one time.

realtor does very much and should know what's happening in his area because it's a local area. very seldom that a realtor sells a place from far away from his/her home area. only 2 possibilities that he never knew about it - he's a lousy realtor.... or he really honestly didn't know as the seller did not disclose it

but come on... the realtor was really unaware of it? in a meth house? not a single whiff? or anything at all?

 

[CrazyPaul]

In the meantime, this is interesting:
http://money.cnn.com/2013/02/12/real_estate/meth-lab-house/

That's good info.

Anyway I saw the show "Flipping in Vegas". After the investor bought a house at a very low price (auction or foreclosure so he couldn't see inside the house before buying), he saw a lot of diapers and old toys, crayons, etc all over the floors. That's how he found out that it was a day care center. I think it was funny because he cussed many times as he walked in each room. That was on fyi channel, not HGTV which forbids that kind of show.

 

[diehardbiker]

Neighbor isnt always reliable. Sometimes neighbor have no clue especially when crooks decided to pack and move out before they ever get caught... nobody knows what actually happened inside except those who live in.

for case like that? the best source of info would be.... the neighbors

 

[sonocativo]

Something else to worry about:

Some people now make meth using portable labs--that is, they make the meth in their cars, sometimes parking in mall parking lots. So, it's possible that you could by a used car with meth contamination. (Although I would assume most meth lab cars are in such awful condition that no one would want to buy them.)

They are using RVs now

 

[sonocativo]

the realtor isn't selling several dozens or hundreds or thousands home at one time.

realtor does very much and should know what's happening in his area because it's a local area. very seldom that a realtor sells a place from far away from his/her home area. only 2 possibilities that he never knew about it - he's a lousy realtor.... or he really honestly didn't know as the seller did not disclose it

but come on... the realtor was really unaware of it? in a meth house? not a single whiff? or anything at all?

No Jiro, its tasteless and no smell. The gasses absorb into the walls and slowly leach out over years, only thing gives is you get sick and it never ends. Just like lead based paints, intact its fine, but flaking and dust as well as asbestos, is hazardous in dust form, or eaten ( lead paint tastes like sugar to kids ) so they will pick it off fences and wherever else they find it , especially low income cases where parents dont buy candy for the kids.
Did you know toys from China are still painted with lead based paints... here chew on a Hot wheel.

 

[diehardbiker]

Now ask yourself, do you really know what your neighbor are actually doing in their homes?

I have few houses in my neighbor up for rent and seen renter moves in and moves out. Do I know what they are doing? Hell no! I have no clue!

Forgot to mention this, I myself as homeowner, if somebody asked me about a house near me, I will keep my response to minimum or at least positive. I won't even disclose negative whether I know or not. Want know why? If I disclose, I risk losing value on my house so no thanks about disclosing negative information. Anytime when somebody knows in particular neighborhood, the market will go south and impact valuation on every houses around the block.

for case like that? the best source of info would be.... the neighbors