When chemical pest remediation is a real estate deal-breaker

Written by Posted On Tuesday, 19 December 2017 05:27

The home you're selling has been cleaned, painted, and all the little nuisance holes, cracks, and blemishes have been repaired. You have a vase full of daisies, and fresh-baked cookies just out of the oven. But there is still one thing you can't seem to overcome – and that's the odor of chemical residue from pest control services.

Two factors are changing how sellers address pest control – first, the simple fact that the odor from the chemicals used tend to linger, and may be a turn-off to potential buyers. But even more important are changing demands from younger millennial buyers, and buyers with children and pets – that any pest remediation be done naturally. Lingering odors, the presence of conventional mousetraps, and poison blocks hidden away in the corners may be a deal-breaker.

What are the seller's responsibilities?

Most reputable Realtors will tell you, it's important to share the good, the bad, and the ugly about every house, and hiding pest issues – even if they were in the past – may come back to bite you.

Legally, responsibilities for disclosure vary by state, but most states do require sellers to provide an accurate statement about the property's condition. Mortgage companies will require home inspections as well as a pest control inspection prior to signing on the dotted line. There are, of course, loopholes for getting around it, but a good Realtor understands the need for – and the benefits of – full disclosure. Even without a legal requirement, disclosing pest issues is always the right thing to do.

From the buyer's perspective, pests do not have to be a deal-breaker, in some neighborhoods, they are simply unavoidable. Some studies have pointed to climate change as a big factor in bringing pests to areas where they have not been a problem in the past, as pests migrate to cooler environments and invasive species pose a threat not only to homeowners, but to the agricultural industry as well.

What's more important is evidence that the seller has taken some decisive action towards controlling the problem, and that the specific remediation methods be outlined in the selling documents. We live in an information-based society, and home buyers want more information than ever – not only do they want to know that pest problems exist or have existed, they want to know which methods have been used to remediate those problems. They want to know, more specifically, whether harsh chemicals or killing traps have been used, or whether humane traps and chemical-free deterrents have been applied. 

Natural pest control tactics

More buyers today are expressing a desire to avoid harsh chemicals and cruel traps. At the same time, they naturally want a pest-free home – and as a result they are demanding more natural pest remediation tactics.

PETA notes that most insects and rodents can be controlled safely, without chemicals or traps.

According to a blog entry on Earthkind's website, a provider of natural pest prevention products made from essential oils and plant fibers, some of the most commonly-used killing traps for mice don't even work well. The website points to recent studies for example, that mice aren't actually attracted to cheese, and sometimes avoid it completely – and so all those mousetraps with little bits of cheese on the spring-loaded bearing are not nearly as effective as we thought. The site notes that mice prefer sweeter treats, such as fruit or grain. The site notes that cheeses tend to be aromatic, and mice have a finely-tuned sense of smell – meaning that the cheese meant to attract them may just be keeping them away. Even more effective than a trap with cheese is a botanical rodent repellent designed to appeal to the mouse's sense of smell. And besides keeping away mice, a botanical repellent does not have the same chemical smell that is so prevalent with other solutions – and may even be pleasant to humans.

Other common-sense tactics for keeping mice from coming inside in the first place include keeping the living areas clean, and sealing up any holes and cracks in the walls with caulk.

Ants, like mice, also respond to scents. Lemongrass, peppermint, and thyme – all natural botanicals which have a scent that is pleasant to humans – repel ants, and a small pouch of these things in the cupboard and other areas where ants have been seen, will keep them away easily. 

A real estate open house may send people packing very quickly if the scent of pest control chemicals is evident – but the gentle odor of aromatic botanicals and peppermint will keep those buyers around, and having discussion points on natural pest remediation ready may well be a major factor in closing the deal.

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