Mold is a healthy part of the decomposition process found in nature. But, mold inside your home, is not such a good thing. When mold is found in the home, that is a red flag warning you there is unwanted moisture entering the home.
Mold in your home is not just off-putting to the eye and sometimes with an unpleasant order, but too much mold, or certain kinds of mold can even been hazardous to your health. To know whether or not the home you are buying has mold, you should ALWAYS have the home inspected before signing a contract.
See also - Home Inspections: What You Need to Know
A routine home inspection (performed by a licensed home inspector) should be able to identify potential sources of moisture leading into the home that are potentially mold-causing. With this information, you can negotiate with the seller to have problem areas fixed or known sources of moisture repaired before purchase.
Getting rid of mold is not an easy process. Even after you get rid of the visible mold by using cleaning supplies, you may have to look even further, like inside your walls, between your carpet and the concrete floor, removing bathroom tile, etc. Clearing out all the existing mold is not enough for a permanent fix of the problem. Finding and repairing the source of the moisture exposure (which is causing the mold) is the only way you will prevent mold from returning.
Insurance companies know all too well how difficult it can be to permanently rid a home of mold, once it has inhabited it. Because of this, if the home you are looking at has an 'active' mold problem, you may have trouble getting covered for homeowners' insurance, which may in turn affect your ability to get a mortgage loan.
Also read: Why condition matters when selling a home
Even more bad news - many people will flat out refuse to buy a home that has a history of any mold. So, if you decide to purchase a home that had an issue in the past, even if the problem is fixed currently, you may find that the former mold issue affects your home's resale value and appeal.
The moral of the story: if you are considering buying a home with a known past or present mold issue or sources of moisture...know the potential consequences and beware.
You may also find helpful: 6 Red Flags When House Hunting
For all your real estate needs, contact expert DFW realtor, Stacey Perry with Keller Williams Realty, today!
Phone: 817.313.1833
Email: staceyperry@kw.com
Website: Stacey Perry Team
Facebook: Stacey Perry Team-Keller Williams Realty
Twitter: Stacey_kwrealty
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Blog: Stacey Perry Team
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