What Happens When Home-Buyers Are Tricked Into Buying Termite Infested Homes?

Termite infestations can be a major problem for homeowners, as some of you may well know. It is not at all uncommon in the United States to find that termites have eaten portions of your wood-built home. However, there are sometimes cases when home-sellers will hide termite infestations from potential buyers. Later on, after a house is purchased, new homeowners may discover that serious problems with the newly acquired home were not made clear before the sale. Although rare, sometimes those looking to sell termite infested homes will make attempts to hide termite activity or past termite damage from buyers. Such dilemmas can lead to legal battles. These legal situations are common in southeastern states where termites, especially Formosan termites, are common.

Luckily, for people who have been duped into buying termite infested homes, the law is often on the home-buyer’s side. This does not mean that a termite compromised household will be returned to the seller, and all the money returned to the buyer. Sometimes, the former owners will be court ordered to pay for all termite related repairs; while the sale of the house remains legal. Judges will often force the home-sellers to return some of the money earned from the sale to the buyers. Or, in other cases when real-estate deals are not yet closed, a Judge can order the home-sellers to lower the asking price for a termite compromised home. The amount of money credited to the perturbed new homeowners is often to their satisfaction.

Then again, some homes can be so badly damaged by termite activity that repairs are not possible. If these damages can be demonstrated to have occurred before the real estate transaction, the real estate deal can be voided, and all money returned to the buying party. However, this particular outcome does not occur often because extensive termite damage is hard to miss prior to buying a house. Also, a large sum of money paid back to the buyers can often make up for any termite related inconveniences.

If you are in the unlikely, and unlucky position of having purchased a termite damaged home without noticing such damage prior to the sale, or without having been properly notified by the seller, then you must file a legal complaint quickly. A quick legal response by defrauded victims is necessary since many states don’t allow for much time to pass before legal action is taken by the victims of real estate fraud.

Have you ever had to file a complaint against a landlord, tenant, real estate agent, home-buyer or home-seller as a result of undisclosed, ill-repaired or a failure to compensate for insect damage to a property?