A Welcome Home reader asked whether there are “deal breakers”—for example, termite, flood or foundation damage discovered during the home inspection—that should make a buyer reconsider buying the home. Berkshire Hathaway Broker Henri Gourd advises:

“The short answer is: It depends. Whether these deficiencies are ‘deal breakers’ depends on how bad the problem is and the cost of remediation; the likelihood of the issue resurfacing; and the buyer’s budget and expectation for future upkeep expenses. For instance, the presence of termites in the sill (the beam that sits on the foundation) might be remedied by replacing the damaged area, but the damage might be more extensive, requiring the repair of the structural framing. The cost of remediating crumbling foundations, while significant, is a little easier to quantify, since the damage is contained to the concrete. When considering flood damage, you need to ask whether the flooding was the result of a leaky pipe, or is the home located in a flood zone that is subjected to reoccurring flood events. Deficiencies that are ‘deal breakers’ for some buyers are just items that need to be addressed or budgeted for repair in the future.”

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Henri Gourd, Broker Associate

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services

New England Properties

Mobile: (914) 954-3897

henrigourd@bhhsne.com