# Is this termite damage?



## SarahFair (Aug 3, 2011)

The house I have been speaking about (with no well) I went and poked about today. I couldnt go inside due to a lock box but I took outside pictures. 

I wasnt sure if this was termite holes or maybe carpenter bees, as I saw a few





































The only real problems I noticed were around the windows and that furthest back door.
I knocked and pushed around the actual structure of the house and didnt feel anything soft or hear anything falling or a hollow sound. 
Could they have just stuck around the windows?


Is there another way to check to see how much damage is done?
Is there another way I can


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## Lukikus2 (Aug 3, 2011)

Ouch! The damage you don't see is probably alot worse than that. I would say termites, boring beetles, bumble bees, etc.

(Where is the do not get this house emoticon?)


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## SarahFair (Aug 3, 2011)

Lukikus2 said:


> Ouch! The damage you don't see is probably alot worse than that. I would say termites, boring beetles, bumble bees, etc.
> 
> (Where is the do not get this house emoticon?)



hahaha I figured


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## rjcruiser (Aug 3, 2011)

It is termite damage....but how bad...well, until you have someone inspect it and the structure, you don't know.

Termites will eat drywall...but they prefer wood.  I had some in my house and they ate through the drywall up to the window casing.  That is when I discovered them.  The studs were untouched....just the window casing on the inside.

Just depends how long they've been there and what they decide to hit.


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## Miguel Cervantes (Aug 3, 2011)

What he said, plus wet rot from lack of maintenance and exposure to the elements, but the termite damage is the most serious. Typically when it finally does show on an interior or exterior wall the damage within the walls is 10x worse. 

When wet rot is showing around door and window seals then you have to also be aware that there is most likely a good chance that mold is present within the walls as well.

I think I'd walk away from that one and keep looking, unless I could get the property for about half of their asking price and be able to mortgage enough to cover the repairs.


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## Ta-ton-ka chips (Aug 3, 2011)

I don't see any dirt in those pictures. Termites build dirt tunnels. All I see is rot and ant damage in those pics.


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## SarahFair (Aug 3, 2011)

The house is worth (via tax records) $230,000. They had it up for $109,900 then dropped another $10,000 this morning.
Im not so much in love with the house as I am the property. It has 5 fenced acres and a riding arena.


Think theyll take $75,000 for it?


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## Lukikus2 (Aug 3, 2011)

SarahFair said:


> The house is worth (via tax records) $230,000. They had it up for $109,900 then dropped another $10,000 this morning.
> Im not so much in love with the house as I am the property. It has 5 fenced acres and a riding arena.
> 
> 
> Think theyll take $75,000 for it?



Wow, evidently they know the house will not be the seller of the property. That is alot of undertaking to repair. If you could bulldoze the house and rebuild or put a modular on it you would be money ahead. Property sounds nice though.

$230,000.00


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## rjcruiser (Aug 3, 2011)

SarahFair said:


> The house is worth (via tax records) $230,000. They had it up for $109,900 then dropped another $10,000 this morning.
> Im not so much in love with the house as I am the property. It has 5 fenced acres and a riding arena.
> 
> 
> Think theyll take $75,000 for it?



As my father-in-law told me....if you're not embarassed by your first offer, you're offering too much.

Throw $59k at them and see what they do.  Tax records mean jack these days and $/acre is going down down down.  I know of 8 acres in the Good Hope area that could be had for around $3-4k per acre.  Not the greatest area...not the greatest land....but that was $20k/acre land 7 years ago.


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## SarahFair (Aug 3, 2011)

So yall think Id have a good chance of protesting the taxes on the house (nearly $3000!)?


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## Miguel Cervantes (Aug 3, 2011)

SarahFair said:


> So yall think Id have a good chance of protesting the taxes on the house (nearly $3000!)?



Not until you own it, but it is also relative to the value of the property around you, and that location has some high dollar property around it.

$75,000 seems a bit high considering how much it could cost you to fix it. I'd throw $60,000 at them if not less than that. Not only will you have to repair the damage, evidence is there that the termite colonies exist and you will have to pay an exterminator for treatment and enter into a maintenance plan for future re-occurrences, especially if it is on a slab. Otherwise you'll be throwing good money at a perpetually bad problem.

If, once you open the walls up, you find mold then the problem exponentially expands. Get a home inspector and specifically ask him to look for these problems. If black mold is found in the walls the property will most likely either be condemned by the bank or you will be able to get it so cheap it isn't even funny. Be forewarned though, once mold is discovered removing it is very expensive and it does effect the type of loan you will qualify for as well as potential insurance coverage.


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## rjcruiser (Aug 3, 2011)

SarahFair said:


> So yall think Id have a good chance of protesting the taxes on the house (nearly $3000!)?



Yes.  Take the purchase price/current appraisal to them and argue it.  Just make sure you do it during the proper time.  I know in Newton Co there is only a month or two per year that you can protest and then it is closed for the remainder of the year.

This past year, I was able to get about $10-20k lower than what they had assessed it.  Made a difference on my escrow.


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## SarahFair (Aug 3, 2011)

Interesting...
I honestly wouldnt mind tearing it down (the SOs company does it all the time) and putting a modular home up. I live in one now and I havent had the first problem with it. 
...problem would be getting the property for the right price


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## skiff23 (Aug 3, 2011)

Check out the new Georgia Law concerning valuations. Not quoting them , but the new law basically states that if a property is sold for a said price , then that is the new value and the tax office should reconize it. If your property is valued at x and you have a legal appraisal done and it shows the value of Y , then the value shall be set at y , weather it is more or less.

Good stuff to know.
It took effect Jan 1 2011.


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## Hooty Hoot (Aug 3, 2011)

The lending institution will require a termite letter. Good luck with that. It would surprise me if you could get a loan with that much damage. I would make them an offer on the land value minus the cost of removing the structure.


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## Canuck5 (Aug 3, 2011)

I like Miguels advice .... hire an inspector, have him give you a detailed report and then carry that in with you, with your low ball offer, along with documented pictures of the property.  Likely anyone you talk to, to make an offer on it, hasn't seen the property.

Sometimes you have to spend money to save money.  The property does look ruff and hasn't been maintained in a loooong while.


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## MTMiller (Aug 3, 2011)

I wouldn't fool with that house with that much termite damage personally.  I would find what land is going for in the area and then offer them land price assuming it does not have a structure on it.  I would contact the fire department and see if they would like to use the house as a training exercise.  Not having water is a huge deal too.  Actually I would offer land price minus what it would cost to dig a well.


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## GA CHEROKEE (Aug 3, 2011)

Is it a hud home?    Looking like a major job and expense on that one    Well's ain't cheap    you can bet there is some water damage been going on for a while.....I would be very cautious....


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## SarahFair (Aug 3, 2011)

Yeah.. its a foreclosure. The lady at the front of the property kept 5 acres and the barn (which she now lives in ) and let the house and 5 other acres go.

I checked on other prices and there are 2 - 5 acre tracts on the same road with an asking price of 64,900. 


Lets just say this is water damage/rot and no black mold is present...
Would the situation be as bad as if it were termites?


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## Resica (Aug 3, 2011)

It's not termites, they don't care for daylight. It appears to be moisture damage.


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## Reel Big-uns (Aug 3, 2011)

Looks like termite and moisture rot. If you can access the crawl space under the house, look for tell tell, signs of tunnels on the pillars that looks like long dirt dobber wasp nest extending from the ground up to the sills that termites construct to keep out of the light. The only way to know how much the damage extends beyond what you can see on the surface is to rip off the inside wall covering, hopefully it's sheetrock, starting at the damaged area and extending out in all directions, including the ceiling, untill you get to where the damage ends, You will have to do the same to the flooring if you can not access the crawl space under the house to inspect the under side of the flooring, sills and joists. The owner should not mine this being done before it sells because it is something that will be necessary for the repairs to be made anyway. Then you will be able to get a better estimate on what the repair cost will be in material and labor, then add no less than 15% more to the cost of the estimate and subtract the total amount of cost from the real value of the house inwhich the condition it is  now in. You can use a stethoscope to listen to the walls for any termite activity that can not be detected on the structure surface.


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## SarahFair (Aug 3, 2011)

Its slab..
No crawl space. I saw dirt dd nests, but they were large and on the side of the chimney.


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## Resica (Aug 3, 2011)

It's water damage.


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## wvdawg (Aug 3, 2011)

That is brown rot.  Most likely confined to those areas around windows, door and openings where water intrusion occurred from lack of maintenance.


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## SarahFair (Aug 3, 2011)

Is water damage something to head for the hills over?


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## jonkayak (Aug 3, 2011)

We have seen great success with offers of 40% of the asking price when dealing with HUD properties. The realtor might not want to write it up but I have been surprised how often they have accepted the offers.


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## golffreak (Aug 3, 2011)

SarahFair said:


> Is water damage something to head for the hills over?



Not necessarily. But, it can cause mold which opens up a whole new set of problems.


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## Reel Big-uns (Aug 3, 2011)

If it's rot and not termites then the problem would not be near as bad due to not having to worry about getting rid of the termite infestation to  eliminate future damage after repairs are done. You will still need to gain access to the walls interior to see how far the damage extends. The only concerns of it being moisture rot is to have the areas that are damaged properly repaired, shielded and sealed  to insure, especially around doors, windows, and corners, moisture can not seep back in from the outside and cause future damage. You will have to determine if the extend of damage and repair cost is something you are willing to take on. You'll also need to find out if the electrical service panel and wiring is adequate to handle the demands for your electrical needs and also the type and condition of the pluming and septic draining system and if the house has insulation. If this is something you want, I wish you good luck in finding it do-able.


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## dawg2 (Aug 3, 2011)

The fourth pic definitely looks like a combo of rot and termites.  I would buy the property and tell them the house is junk.  Go LOW.


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## Gaducker (Aug 3, 2011)

dawg2 said:


> The fourth pic definitely looks like a combo of rot and termites.  I would buy the property and tell them the house is junk.  Go LOW.




Picture number four is most definitely termite damage.

I would take a screw driver and EXPLORE every window on the ground floor and then go tell em the house is eat up......


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## MTMiller (Aug 3, 2011)

are their a bunch of little "wings" all around there?  Termites will leave them.  Dig a little bit above or below and you should see them unless someone treated it already.  They don't like sunlight so you likely won't see any in the open.

If other 5 acre properties are listed for $64,900 with water available, no way I would buy that house and land for over that.  I would dig deeper you probably have a lot more damage.   The lack of water on the property would be a deal breaker for me unless I was sure a well could be dug.


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## SarahFair (Aug 3, 2011)

I drug the SO back over there tonight with a little more knowledge on termites and rot. The SO thought it was termites from the pictures but when he saw it in person decided it was water damage.
I took a knife with me and stabbed around the damaged areas and didn't find any soft spots. 
I also didn't find any of their little "dirt tunnels" around the base of the house.

Still not sure. Were going to think on it before we throw money for an inspector to come out.


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## kevozz (Aug 3, 2011)

Gaducker said:


> Picture number four is most definitely termite damage.
> 
> I would take a screw driver and EXPLORE every window on the ground floor and then go tell em the house is eat up......



Could that be carpenter ants from pic four?  Not much better than termites though.


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## rjcruiser (Aug 4, 2011)

SarahFair said:


> I checked on other prices and there are 2 - 5 acre tracts on the same road with an asking price of 64,900.



I would not use the asking price of other lots on the road as a good determination of value.  A private sellers asking price and a banks acceptable sale price are two very very different numbers.  Maybe start at $39k.


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## shakey gizzard (Aug 4, 2011)

Pic 4 does show termite trails. Once the caulk failed on the window trim it was game over! 10 bucks says lack of gutter maintenence was the cause. I'd accidentally bump a couple of siding boards off to see the studs.


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## fishingtiger (Aug 4, 2011)

IF the ole lady chose to live in the barn, I can only imagine how bad the house must be.


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## Miguel Cervantes (Aug 4, 2011)

One other thought Sarah, have the well tested (that is what is out there) probably need a new pump, and make sure the water is good. Also get the septic tank checked. No tellings how long it's been sitting and what issues it may have, tree roots etc. Plumbing inside the house, if it wasn't freeze proofed before it was abandoned, could be a nightmare, as well as the water heater sitting without water circulating through it, most likely rusted inside.

This is a dream property for an investor with the right capitol and cash assets to purchase it at the right price. It could be an albatross if you have to take a mortgage out on it.


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## grim (Aug 4, 2011)

I am gonna say to keep any offer way low.  The amount of damage is amazing and it has gone on for a while now.  If they would not fix visible issues like that, then the hard to see stuff will there also.  The siding looks to be cedar, which termites dont care for too much.  They will usually go past that to the pine studs, but most of that, if not all looks like water damage.


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## Resica (Aug 4, 2011)

Is that slab on grade?  Get some more pics if you can.


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## Hooked On Quack (Aug 4, 2011)

Run Sarah run!!


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## SarahFair (Aug 4, 2011)

Hooked On Quack said:


> Run Sarah run!!



But I love it....





Here is a good many pictures of took of the house
http://s276.photobucket.com/albums/kk13/Faircloth9945/1224 Carl Davis Road/


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## thomas the redneck (Aug 4, 2011)

Miguel Cervantes said:


> What he said, plus wet rot from lack of maintenance and exposure to the elements, but the termite damage is the most serious. Typically when it finally does show on an interior or exterior wall the damage within the walls is 10x worse.
> 
> When wet rot is showing around door and window seals then you have to also be aware that there is most likely a good chance that mold is present within the walls as well.
> 
> I think I'd walk away from that one and keep looking, unless I could get the property for about half of their asking price and be able to mortgage enough to cover the repairs.


ditto warning i have seen termites go all the way up 3 studs all the way to the top plate and eat up 14 foot of plate and 2 trusses


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## rhbama3 (Aug 4, 2011)

Hooked On Quack said:


> Run Sarah run!!



x2, Sarah!
You have termite damage, water damage, exterior and interior ceiling damage, all sorts of trim damage, and i'm afraid the amount of work needed to bring the water, sewage, and electrical up to code will be staggering. Not to mention the ancient AC and ductwork will need to be replaced(after the roof gets replaced).
Yes, the view and river frontage are great but the house itself would pretty much be a write-off.


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## K80 (Aug 4, 2011)

If you don't take HOQ's advise you need to do two things. The most important thing I would do is get a home inspection.  The visible damage may be all there is BUT a lot of times the damage you see is nowhere near as bad as what you can't see.  Where there is water there is likely mold especially if the dwelling has been closed up so it can't air out. 

The other thing I would do is hire an appraiser to help you decide what price range you need to work with based on how other foreclosures in similar condition have sold.  Listings are not a good representation of values in this economy in most market areas.  Don't expect this appraisal to be used for your loan process as the intended use of the appraisal is not for a loan and the intended users are not the mortgage company.  In the past it may have been possible to get an appraisal "readdressed" for a lack of better words but with the current regs it would be near impossible to have done without violating some appraisal regulation.  However this appraisal could possible save you thousands if you decide to go with this house.
One word of caution, foreclosures tend to be a money pit.  This is based on my experience from my home.

Good luck.


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## Resica (Aug 4, 2011)

K80 said:


> If you don't take HOQ's advise you need to do two things. The most important thing I would do is get a home inspection.  The visible damage may be all there is BUT a lot of times the damage you see is nowhere near as bad as what you can't see.  Where there is water there is likely mold especially if the dwelling has been closed up so it can't air out.
> 
> The other thing I would do is hire an appraiser to help you decide what price range you need to work with based on how other foreclosures in similar condition have sold.  Listings are not a good representation of values in this economy in most market areas.  Don't expect this appraisal to be used for your loan process as the intended use of the appraisal is not for a loan and the intended users are not the mortgage company.  In the past it may have been possible to get an appraisal "readdressed" for a lack of better words but with the current regs it would be near impossible to have done without violating some appraisal regulation.  However this appraisal could possible save you thousands if you decide to go with this house.
> One word of caution, foreclosures tend to be a money pit.  This is based on my experience from my home.
> ...



I agree.


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## Luke0927 (Aug 4, 2011)

As for the taxes, we built last year and it appraised about 60k higher than what we have in it the taxed assessed value is exactly what my mortgage is... probably what they would do to you on an new mortgage...hopefully would save you some money if you could get it at a steal...1 thing of advice don't fall in love with something you will normally get burned by talking yourself into something you shouldn't, there will always be something else.


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## Reel Big-uns (Aug 5, 2011)

I would bet that if this house was in a city and it being unoccupied, it would be condemned. I've had personal experience with rehabilitating a house, with damage, similar to this one and now I'm living in it and believe me when I say this, If you can negotiate a price for the land and convince them the house is in too much need of repair to justify the cost of doing so and your intent is to tear down the house and use the slab for a patio for the new dwelling you intend to put in front of it and get them to adjust the asking price accordingly, at the end of the day you will be much happier because you're looking at a lot of unexpected problems with an old house anyway and adding to the extent of structural damage you are facing, the fun of redoing will be zapped out of you and this will happen after you've spent way too much to discontinue. 
It will be up to you if you want to commit yourself to taking on the cost and task of repairing. By the way, There is no doubt the damage is both rot from water intrusion and termites.


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## Reel Big-uns (Aug 5, 2011)

fishingtiger said:


> IF the ole lady chose to live in the barn, I can only imagine how bad the house must be.



My understanding she had no other option because the house and land it is on went into foreclosure and she had to move out, but still the house is in dire straits.


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## SarahFair (Aug 5, 2011)

I didnt see any signs of someone living there. If I saw her I wouldnt mind asking her about the property (what does she have to hide) unless shed be bitter about the whole thing.

I want to try and get the SOs brother over there to look. He knows a lot about knowing.


If the old owner (the occupent of the barn) wants to be a real stick in the mud I might just back out. Neighbors really can make or break the deal.


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## shakey gizzard (Aug 5, 2011)

The inside looks a alot better than I thought it would. The ceiling stain in the bath is probably a dry rotten boot. I would'nt give up on it until you see the studs.


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## Reel Big-uns (Aug 5, 2011)

shakey gizzard said:


> I would'nt give up on it until you see the studs.



X 2, You really won't know until you do this.


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## Ronnie T (Aug 5, 2011)

I wouldn't be afraid of the house if I were you.  That is, if you can get a 'deal'.
If that were termites they would have gone all the way around that window and up that door.
All the damage is on the low side of windows and doors, which is a prime area for water damage.


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## SarahFair (Aug 6, 2011)

I talked with my trusted advisor (my father) about it for a long time yesterday. He's seen the pictures y'all have and it didn't turn him away.
He would be the first person to tell me no.. in fact he'd probly tell me no with a few other choice words if it were something he thought dumb.

Before I even went to look at the place he warned me ' you might go over there and the termites have eaten that wood away and it will blow over in a bad storm'.

I had a talk with the SO last night and he fears its too far gone but I'm still too curious to let it go.


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## Miguel Cervantes (Aug 6, 2011)

Ronnie T said:


> I wouldn't be afraid of the house if I were you.  That is, if you can get a 'deal'.
> *If that were termites they would have gone all the way around that window and up that door.*
> All the damage is on the low side of windows and doors, which is a prime area for water damage.



This is not necessarily accurate. Termites, like carpenter ants, like moisture, and if there were one area more prolific in moisture in the wall or around the window, they will take that path first.  I had a buddy that owned a HUGE house that was on a slab. He had regular treatments and inspections done, never the first tunnel or sign of a termite detected. After about 15 years he had a roof leak right over one of the windows in the garage, so he had the old roof stripped for a new 50 yr roof to go on. Termites had gone from ground to the roof and turned the window framing to powder. Fortunately his maintenance contract paid for all of that work. You just never know.


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## shakey gizzard (Aug 6, 2011)

Miguel Cervantes said:


> This is not necessarily accurate. Termites, like carpenter ants, like moisture, and if there were one area more prolific in moisture in the wall or around the window, they will take that path first.  I had a buddy that owned a HUGE house that was on a slab. He had regular treatments and inspections done, never the first tunnel or sign of a termite detected. After about 15 years he had a roof leak right over one of the windows in the garage, so he had the old roof stripped for a new 50 yr roof to go on. Termites had gone from ground to the roof and turned the window framing to powder. Fortunately his maintenance contract paid for all of that work. You just never know.



X2! I've seen them come in around the plumbing in the middle of a slab also.


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## Resica (Aug 11, 2011)

What did the home inspector say Sarah?


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## SarahFair (Aug 11, 2011)

I havent hired one. Were going to get opinions of 2 (maybe 3) family memebers before we hire someone for $300+ to come out. 
They should be out there by this weekend.


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## Resica (Aug 11, 2011)

SarahFair said:


> I havent hired one. Were going to get opinions of 2 (maybe 3) family memebers before we hire someone for $300+ to come out.
> They should be out there by this weekend.



Good. Don't give up on it yet.


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## Miguel Cervantes (Aug 11, 2011)

SarahFair said:


> I havent hired one. Were going to get opinions of 2 (maybe 3) family memebers before we hire someone for $300+ to come out.
> They should be out there by this weekend.


Hey Capt. Serious... Did you check out that other address I told you about?


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## SarahFair (Aug 11, 2011)

Miguel Cervantes said:


> Hey Capt. Serious... Did you check out that other address I told you about?



I googled it and didnt see anything come up. Ill try and drive over there tomorrow for a look.


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## Miguel Cervantes (Aug 11, 2011)

SarahFair said:


> I googled it and didnt see anything come up. Ill try and drive over there tomorrow for a look.


Incoming PM,,,,,,,,,,DUCK!!!!


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## Lukikus2 (Aug 12, 2011)

That's a heck of alot of house, land and out parcels for that price. If you were willing to remodel and the termite damage isn't bad it would be a good deal. Just remember those old siding houses like that are not very well insulated and the light bill can be astronomical on them.

A couple of things I noticed from the pictures is the ceiling damage which was more than likely caused by those blame dish guys mounting dishes to the roof. And as someone else stated, dried plumbing flashings. From looking at the pump you definetly will have sulfur water so think about a filter system or so.

My GF and I had a house like that we remodeled and it was nice. I kept the fireplace going non-stop in the winter but in the summer the light bill was around $400 or so a month. Just make sure and get it inspected and then have a pest control co. spray and give you a termite contract on it and you should be fine.


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## SarahFair (Aug 12, 2011)

I went back to the house today and the back door was unlocked..
I maaaay have gone in for a peek.
There is water in the house.. Unfortunatly one of the pipes under the sink is leaking and ...esh... mold!


I poked around the inside of the windows and they are not soft at all. There does look like a little water damage where the windows were left open when it rained possibly..


This is under the bathroom in the hall






This is under the kitchen sink


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## Lukikus2 (Aug 12, 2011)

That isn't so bad. It can be dried up and cleaned up but the old gate valves will need new seats in them or at the worst don't even work anymore and will need to be replaced.
Unfortunately, the more you look the more you will find but if the house is solid everything can be fixed or replaced over time. Wether or not you want that monkey on your back for a couple of years is your descision. First and foremost is keeping money in the bank for new A/C units. The A/C units will help draw out moisture and will be more efficient than what is there now. You can always close off rooms to the interior as you remodel them also.

Nice house, but ALOT of work.


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## Miguel Cervantes (Aug 12, 2011)

Lukikus2 said:


> From looking at the pump you definetly will have sulfur water so think about a filter system or so.
> .



No sulfur water up here... 



SarahFair said:


> I went back to the house today and the back door was unlocked..
> I maaaay have gone in for a peek.
> There is water in the house.. Unfortunatly one of the pipes under the sink is leaking and ...esh... mold!
> 
> ...



That's more water damage, combined with the other issues you have taken pictures of that I'd be willing to invest in, given the amount of time, money and materials it will take to make it livable and safe (mold etc).


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## SarahFair (Aug 12, 2011)

If it is on well water do I have to worry about chlorine  breaking down the polybutylene pipes?


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## shakey gizzard (Aug 12, 2011)

SarahFair said:


> If it is on well water do I have to worry about chlorine  breaking down the polybutylene pipes?



Hard mineral well water eats copper.


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## LostSoul (Aug 15, 2011)

SarahFair said:


> But I love it....




While I understand that sometimes it's hard not to get emotionally attached to something we may want, it usually clouds are judgement and we end up regretting it later on. I would look at other options before going any further with this particular house. 

Unless you can purchase it for a deal ($50k or less), I just think there is going to be too much money involved in fixing it up. Your money will go a long way when it comes to purchasing a house now a days, but not so far when it comes to doing repairs. 

Just to give you an example. My wife and I bought our house a couple years ago for $79k. It is a 1632 sf 3/3 with a two car enclosed garage, a little over 2 acres, pole barn, 12'x30' storage building, and a well house although we are on county water. Our back property line is a branch that has water in it year around. It came with a new heating/air unit as well. Granted we are up in Cartersville, but I would guess that the property values, at least from a tax perspective, are a little more as we are considered suburbs of Atlanta. I will say that I recently spent a couple hundred dollars fixing a shower leak, but I guess that was my "welcome to home ownership hazing".

I personally would take my time and look at other options. If later on you decide that you can't find anything to suit your needs, you can always come back to this one because it won't be going anywhere no time soon. For that asking price in todays market, you should be able to easily find something that needs nothing but some curtains.


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## SarahFair (Aug 15, 2011)

I dont mind getting a fixer upper...
With our price range and with what Im wanting, every house is going to come with some kind of baggage.

A house we found last night..
The SO LOVES it (this one hes not so in love with).. 
Ill admit, its a great house.. but it comes with some legal issues.


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## Miguel Cervantes (Aug 15, 2011)

SarahFair said:


> I dont mind getting a fixer upper...
> With our price range and with what Im wanting, every house is going to come with some kind of baggage.
> 
> A house we found last night..
> ...



Where'd you find the other one??


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## SarahFair (Aug 15, 2011)

Miguel Cervantes said:


> Where'd you find the other one??



Online..
They dropped the price $60,000 

But really... I dont know how much trouble this ones going to be.


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## Reel Big-uns (Aug 16, 2011)

It's Intermission time


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## SarahFair (Aug 16, 2011)

TheReelMe said:


> It's Intermission time


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## SarahFair (Aug 22, 2011)

**UPDATE**

We went yesterday with some family and a realtor to the house. They all say its termites. 
Once the realtor saw the foundation was "foam" with stucco covering she explained that the FHA approved houses being built like this until they learned that the foam settles and allows termites easy access.

If I were to get a mortgage on the house they would make me hire someone to tear out all that foam and update it to current FHA standards. I dont recall what they require now.
(not that any company would touch this house with a 10 foot pole.. thats just what she said about houses like this)

So, I guess, we are moving on from this one.


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## golffreak (Aug 22, 2011)

Sounds like a smart decision.


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## boneboy96 (Aug 22, 2011)

SarahFair said:


> **UPDATE**
> 
> We went yesterday with some family and a realtor to the house. They all say its termites.
> Once the realtor saw the foundation was "foam" with stucco covering she explained that the FHA approved houses being built like this until they learned that the foam settles and allows termites easy access.
> ...



Sounded lilke you were pretty set on this one regardless of the obsticles awaiting you, but I agree, probably for the best to move on!     That or buy the property cheap and raze the house and build another one!


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## Resica (Aug 25, 2011)

SarahFair said:


> **UPDATE**
> 
> We went yesterday with some family and a realtor to the house. They all say its termites.
> Once the realtor saw the foundation was "foam" with stucco covering she explained that the FHA approved houses being built like this until they learned that the foam settles and allows termites easy access.
> ...



The realtor is a realtor, not a moisture intrusion expert. Foam isn't the issue. If you have cladding and or framing terminating below grade you can have a termite/ant issue not to mention moisture wicking. I wouldn't blame foam.


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## hornhunter44 (Sep 23, 2011)

Resica said:


> It's not termites, they don't care for daylight. It appears to be moisture damage.



X2 that is all water dave from lack of up keep. Before you walk away make a offer contingent upon a home inspection by a licensed inspector. 30yrs one the home repair business is what I'm basing my opion on. I've seen alot worse. IMHO


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## SarahFair (Sep 23, 2011)

Well the house is pending sale now.
Wonder what its going for..


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## MTMiller (Sep 24, 2011)

sounds like you did all your homework and made an informed decision.  The right thing will come along for you.


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## Nuttin Better (Sep 25, 2011)

If you really want the property like it sounds like you do, I would offer them $50,000.00 and require them to produce a termite clearance letter as well as a recorded arrangement on sharing of the well. To get a termite clearance letter will more than likely require the property to be treated for termites so at least that will be done before you buy it. At this price you have some room to make repairs and put in your own well it need be. Good luck


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## ted_BSR (Sep 29, 2011)

Run Run Run, or offer them pennies on the dollar. It is a buyer's market. Find another place, or get this one for really really cheap.


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