HUD Requires More Homes To Be Treated For Termites

HUD Requires More Homes To Be Treated For Termites

Termites

Some people insist that termites are worthy of respect and praise for their environmentally beneficial activities, such as aerating and mineralizing soil in order to enable vegetation growth. However, most people think of termites as a potentially expensive problem that should only be treated with disdain. It is probably fair to say that most people think of termites as being nothing but a problem. Real estate professionals must keep termites in mind during all of their sales, and failing to disclose a home’s history of termites could end up costing real estate brokers a lot of money, and possibly their jobs. So naturally, real estate developers have nothing good to say about termites, and now it looks as though termites may make their jobs even more difficult. The Nisus corporation has developed a map of the United States showing all of the counties in each state. Most of these counties are shaded red to indicate that termite treatments are required on new homes in the area. Since termites have been migrating north in response to climate change, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development has expanded the range where termite treatments are required for new or marketed homes. This policy expansion will bring termite-related regulations to northern states for the first time, and this will not help the reputation of termites.

According to the termite map, most states are entirely shaded over in red. Some states contain only some counties that are at risk for termite invasions. While only two states, Washington and Oregon, are exempt from the termite regulations outlined by HUD. Nearly the entire continental US is now required to conform to HUD’s policy concerning termite inspection reports.

These policies only apply if a home or building is being purchased or financed by the government. However, mortgage lenders tend to apply these same policies to private buyers as well. Therefore, termite inspection reports may become the norm during all real estate transactions in all US states in the future.

Do you think that there should be a federal law that requires sellers to provide a termite inspection report when selling a home?