That’s disgusting!
Are you ready to run away from Columbus HUD homes with that much mold in the basement?
Unfortunately, this picture was taken in one of the HUD homes I previewed this week at Moreno Drive. As 3 of the featured homes have a mold problem, I decided to address this issue in more detail.
Let me give you some tips on how to deal with mold and how you can get rid of it.
First of all, every HUD home comes with the disclosure: “Evidence of mold – no remediation done” in its property condition report. This does not mean that each HUD home is full of mold, but many have at least some mold damage.
Mold is huge problem in the warm, muggy summer months. HUD homes are not air-conditioned and not ventilated, so mold grows even faster.
Mold is caused by water intrusion, usually in drywall. Many HUD homes suffer water damage during the winter months. Pipes freeze and burst, roofs start leaking, and basements get flooded due to failure of the sump pump.
You will find 90% of mold damage in the basement. There’s less ventilation and more humidity, and that’s where the water ends up when it flows down through the house. I also saw quite a few homes with mold in the kitchen. That’s usually caused by leaking pipes from the bathrooms upstairs.
What can you do to correct the mold problem?
You need to hire a professional mold remediation company. You can get a quote when you do the home inspection or before you make an offer on a HUD house. In some cases, if the mold damage is not too severe, you may get away with less than $5,000, and still qualify for FHA financing with a repair escrow.
If the mold damage is more severe, and the remediation more expensive, you will have to get a rehab loan or FHA 203K mortgage.
Don’t get discouraged! It takes guts and a good mold remediation company to attack the problem head on. I am glad to share the names and numbers of these companies with you. After all, you may get a moldy HUD house for a much lower price and win at the end.
Here are my 5 HUD picks of this week!
6606 Warriner Way, Canal Winchester OH
3BR/2.5BA 1,344 sqft Asking $110,000
3147 Sundale Pl W, Columbus OH
3BR/1.0 BA 952 sqft Asking $45,000
701 Moreno Dr, Reynoldsburg OH
4BR/2.5BA 2,176 sqft Asking $140,000
1451 Magoffin Ave, Obetz OH
3BR/2.0BA 1,384 sqft Asking $84,000
6719 Braeswick Ct, Canal Winchester OH
3BR/2.5BA 1,832 sqft Asking $145,000
Call me at (614) 975-9650 for more tips on mold homes!
Thanks for reading our Columbus HUD Homes Blog
Posted by: Susanne Novak, ABR, FIS, GRI
Columbus Realtors specializing in
HUD Homes, Shortsales, Investment Real Estate
(614) 975-9650
