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Selling a Home Where Mold Grows | 10 Astounding Details

Selling a Home Where Mold Grows | 10 Astounding Details

What is Mold?

Selling a home where mold grows can be a difficult feat. Mold are fungi that are found outdoors and indoors. It has been estimated that there are hundreds of thousands of mold types. There are many different types of mold (indoor and outdoor) and mold grows in warm and humid conditions. Mold can appear as black spots and can spread via spores which can spread by water or they are airborne.

The spores are microscopic, and when it is airborne, it can cause health problems.

Where is mold found?

Mold can be found outdoors in damp and shady areas where there are plants, vegetation, and moisture. Indoor mold can be found where there are humid conditions such as a shower. I am sure you have seen what looks like mold in a shower, in grout lines. It is important to keep that cleaned up when selling a home where mold grows.

Water intrusion

Water intrusion in a home can be very damaging and can create conditions where mold can grow. That is why it is imperative to repair any water leaks immediately as they can cause problems. If you have a leak where you can see it, that should be repaired immediately. The more subtle places a leak may occur under a bathroom sink. Another place is a slab leak, in pipes in between walls and in between multiple story homes where the plumbing lines run. It is important to determine if you have a leak or leaks prior to selling, if not selling a home where mold grows can be difficult.

How to know if you have a leak somewhere that is not that obvious?Selling a Home Where Mold Grows

It can be difficult to find a source of water if you are selling a home where mold grows.

  • On a home built on a slab, if the temperature of the floor is warmer, there may be a slab leak from a hot water line.
  • The temperature of a bathroom or pantry is warmer than the rest of the house, then there may be a leak, it can be the hot water line.
  • Bubbling paint where water has nowhere to go.
  • Toilets can leak, there can be moisture around the toilet.
  • Presence of efflorescence which is a white powdery substance that is a residue left from water. This is common to see on a concrete floor such as a garage or walkways. Efflorescence is indicative of the past presence of moisture and is a mineral, and can be very destructive to concrete and eventually breaks it down.
  • If you turn off all the water in your house and look at the meter and it is still moving, then you may have a leak. Consult a professional.

When you are selling a home where mold grows, it is important to determine the source. If you discover a leak I recommend you hire a licensed plumber to come and evaluate the situation as soon as possible. Plumbers have moisture meters that can detect moisture in the walls. Often times a plumber will open up a wall and if there has been a leak for an extended period of time, then this is the environment where mold can grow. Plumbers generally do not diagnose mold, however, they can recommend (and should recommend) a mold test and remediation company.

It is important to have the leak repaired as quickly as possible to prevent any further damage. And then it will be time to find out if mold grew as a result of the leak.

Mold Test

Mold tests typically are done by taking air samples which tests the number of mold spores in the air. A baseline air sample is done outside, and then an air test is done in the areas that are under concern where the suspected “mold” might be located.  The air samples are sent to a lab and the results come back in a few days. There may be other tests, I recommend you consult with professionals in your area and hire a licensed or certified mold inspector.

If you have mold . . .

Selling a Home Where Mold Grows If you have mold when you are selling a home where mold grows, you will need to hire a remediation company that can properly remove the areas that are affected by the mold and dry it out. Be sure to keep all of your documentation and invoices to disclose to a potential buyer. The process can be daunting and if you are residing in the home, the remediation company may ask you to move out as the area impacted has to be sealed up to prevent spores from getting into the rest of the house.

If the leak and/or mold issue is in the kitchen, that can be very inconvenient to live in a house where the kitchen is sealed off. The remediation company may remove cabinets, counters, and walls in order to sufficiently address the problem. Also depending on where the leak or water intrusion is, the floors may also have to be removed.

Be sure to have it professionally remediated by a reputable company. And be sure that the source of the mold has been found to prevent it from returning.

Remediating mold can be a big project, but it can be remedied just like any other household repair.

Be aware if this is something that your insurance covers, this claim will now show up on past insurance claims on your property. Check with your insurance company about water intrusion and mold remediation when selling a home where mold grows.

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Does mold affect people?

Because the mold spores are airborne, some people are susceptible to it, and it can cause allergic reactions, sneezing, wheezing, skin irritation, and impact your overall health. Long-term exposure to mold may have more serious health risks.

How mold affects the sale of your property

Some buyers are VERY concerned about water intrusion and mold and will not purchase a home where mold has been discovered. There are buyers who realize that if a property has had mold and it has been remediated, then the problem has been addressed. That is why you want to be sure that it has been diagnosed by a professional, and remediated, with all documentation.

Additionally, if there is active mold on the property, a home inspector may discover it in the home inspection. Additionally, an appraiser will be coming out to the property to complete an appraisal and if there is the presence of mold, it may be difficult to get a loan on the property. Banks generally do not want to loan on the property with active mold.

What should you do?Selling a home where mold grows

Before you list your house, I recommend getting a home inspection, plumbing inspection from a licensed plumber and get a pre-listing mold inspection if you have suspicions that you may have a moisture problem. Most likely a buyer will still get their own home inspection (and they should), however, this is information that you should disclose to any potential buyer.

Address any deferred maintenance on the property as this will help you to get top dollar for your home. Be sure to address any mold issue, and be upfront about it.

There are disclosures that you fill out when selling a home where mold grows, your home and all the information including a home inspection and mold inspection should be provided to a potential buyer.  If you try to hide a potential problem, the buyer will most likely find out and there could be litigation and lawsuits as a result. It is important for a buyer to know what they are purchasing and aware of all the facts to prevent a future lawsuit.

Final thoughts

If you are considering listing your home for sale and suspect you may have water intrusion or potential mold, be sure to address it with a mold inspection and having it professionally remediated.

If mold is discovered when you are selling a home where mold grows, and when you are preparing your home for sale, it is an issue that can be addressed and remedied. Most lenders won’t loan on a property that has the presence of mold. And most buyers will not proceed with the purchase without the mold being remediated.

Be sure to disclose to any potential buyer any issues with the property that you are aware of, so the buyer is fully aware of the condition of the property to avoid any future issues with the house.

If I can answer any questions about home selling, please contact me.

For other information about “Selling a Home where Mold Grows”  from other Real Estate Professional around the country, please check out the articles below, and please share across Social Media if you liked the article:

Mold Basic Facts via Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Take the High Road when Selling Your Home via Lynn Pineda, Boca Raton South Florida Real Estate

Selling a Home with Mold | What You Need to Know via Bill Gassett, via Bill Gassett, Maximum Exposure Real Estate

What You Need to Know about Mold when Buying or Selling via Anita Clark, Selling Warner Robins

What to Clean Up When Preparing Your Home for Sale via Paul Sian, Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Real Estate

5 Common Reasons Your Home Isn’t Selling via Kyle Hiscock, Rochester Real Estate Blog

2 thoughts on “Selling a Home Where Mold Grows | 10 Astounding Details”

  1. Avatar of Kevin Ronan

    Hello Sharon,
    Great article. Most home in my region experience mold . I will now be able to discuss this topic with my buyers and sellers,
    Thank You

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Sharon Paxson is a full-time REALTORĀ® with EQTY | Forbes Global Properties and has been specializing in residential real estate throughout the Newport Beach area since 2005 assisting Buyerā€™s, Sellerā€™s, Landlords, and Tenants with their real estate needs.

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