How Pests Can Affect Your Property’s Value
When we talk about pest control, we usually talk about it from the perspective of a property owner or renter trying to live comfortably in their home. But pests are not only a comfort issue. Pests affect your health, your furniture, your most treasured items, and, in some cases, your property value.
Property value isn’t terribly important until you’re trying to sell your home. But by the time your home hits the market, it may already be too late to address some pest-related issues. That is why ongoing pest control through the life of your property is so important.
How Pests Can Affect the Value of a Property
Pests can affect property values even before your home goes to market. The ones that cause the greatest loss are wood-destroying pests – usually just termites, but possibly carpenter ants, carpenter bees, and some rodents as well.
Termite infestations can cause immense, expensive damage to a home. They can destroy siding, roofing, and the wood inside of your walls. Termites cause your property to lose value in multiple ways:
- Damaged Materials – Pest damaged siding, roofing, fencing, decks, and other materials make your property less desirable to buyers. Not only is this due to the cost of replacement, but also the lack of curb appeal. Your property can lose significant value very quickly if the termites are able to do visible damage.
- Disclosures – Even after you’ve treated for termites, you may have to disclose that the property had termites in the recent past. Buyers are less likely to want to purchase a property that had a significant termite infestation, even if the problem has already been treated.
- Lost Energy Efficiency – Some buyers ask about the energy efficiency of a property before buying, especially with how expensive energy bills are. Termites can cause air leaks, leading to higher energy bills that are difficult to explain a way to potential buyers.
Termites can become even more of an issue if they are present when a property goes on sale. Most buyers will not even buy a home with termites, and the ones that will are likely to require it be treated *and* ask for a massive discount along the way as part of the closing requirements. Termite treatment can also take time, which means that your time on market may be longer as well, resulting in even further losses (homes tend to lose value when they sit on the market for too long).
Termites are also not the only pest that can affect your property value. Any active infestation is likely to lower its value dramatically, as it makes your home feel cheaper and less safe to potential buyers. Evidence of rodents may indicate safety issues that affect property value as well. Rats, especially, are known to chew on electrical wires, and any electrical issues that come up at the time of the sale can lead to further property value losses.
Ongoing Pest Control for Property Longevity and Value
Some pest issues, like a cockroach infestation, can be addressed in a matter of days. Yet, even in these situations, one dead cockroach, too many cobwebs, or ants found in a bathroom can cause buyers to find your property immediately less desirable.
This is why ongoing pest control is so important for your property value. While it is theoretically possible to take care of some pest issues after you’ve decided to take your property to the market, there are many situations in which having a local pest control company could have prevented and eliminated pest related issues, keeping your property values high and giving you one less thing to worry about.
Take care of yourself and your property. Reach out to ExtermPRO today to learn more about pest control, or to get an estimate for your service.