Page 17 - Stuart Exposure - March '24

Stuart Exposure, Page 17

real estate

Treasure Coast Real Estate As it turned out, water The mold inspection revealed that some of the
Report had got in behind the vinyl pipes were leaking behind the walls. These leaks went
undetected because there was never enough water to
siding. There was black mold
everywhere, but it was not create visible signs of a leak. However, the leaks created
Make A Mold And Polybutylene Plumbing visible. To remedy the issue, a good environment for black mold to grow.
Inspection Part Of Your Buying Process the entire exterior will have The Florida Supreme Court ruled more than 20 years
to be replaced. ago, that sellers and realtors must disclose if a property
By Jim Weix In another case, during has polybutylene plumbing. If the property was built
Most buyers do not include a mold inspection as part of an ordinary home inspection, between 1985 and 1995, the odds are that it does.
their home inspection. They are trying to save money, but the seller mentioned that her However, sellers sometimes don’t know if they have
that can be an expensive mistake. I recently had two such allergies had been acting up polybutylene plumbing. This means that buyers, when
circumstances in the same month. more than normal for the past having a home inspection, should specifically ask the
One was the case of a manufactured home that I listed two years. The home inspection found no major issues, but I inspector to check.
and got a sales contract on. During the normal inspection, suggested to the buyers that a mold inspection might not be a This issue may be solving itself in many cases. Due
which took two hours, the buyer’s wife noticed that she bad idea, since the home had polybutylene plumbing. to the rapid rise in homeowners’ insurance, many sellers
started sneezing when she was in the home. I suggested Polybutylene plumbing was commonly used in homes built and homeowners are having wind mitigation reports and
that they have a mold inspection just to be sure there was between 1985 and 1995. It was known for developing hairline a four-point inspection done to lower their premiums. The
no issue. cracks in the pipes. These small leaks could go undetected. four-point inspection covers electrical, HVAC, plumbing,
and the roof.
Ask if the seller has a four-point inspection. If you
look at the plumbing system section, it will identify what
types of plumbing are in the house. If they don’t have
one, you can just order both reports when you have the
home inspection done. You will need them anyway if you
buy homeowner’s insurance.
A options. I can be reached at (772) 341-2941 or jimweix@
Feel free to call me if you would like to discuss your

jimweix.com.
Jim Weix is a broker associate with The Keyes
COLONOSCOPY Company. Jim has 25 years of experience selling real
estate full-time. If you have questions or want the services
of an experienced expert, you can reach Jim at (772)
341-2941 or jimweix@jimweix.com.
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