Termite Reports & Clearance for Real Estate in Sacramento

One company from report to clearance

Zap does every repair it recommends on its WDO reports. The same company that inspects the property also does the treatment, the wood repair and the completion paperwork, so agents and escrow officers have one contact instead of three. That means fewer handoffs, fewer competing bids, and fewer surprises before close of escrow.

• Inspect: a licensed inspector checks the accessible areas of the structure
• Report: the WDO report is delivered within 24 hours of the inspection and filed with the Structural Pest Control Board
• Treat and repair: fumigation or local treatment for drywood termites, soil treatment for subterranean termites, and wood and dry rot repair
• Clear: once the work is done, we issue the completion notice escrow needs

Section 1 and Section 2, in plain words

• Section 1 items are problems that exist now: live termites or beetles, fungus (wood rot), or damage they have caused. Lenders and purchase contracts most often focus on these.
• Section 2 items are conditions that are not damage yet but are likely to cause it if left alone, such as a plumbing leak, wood touching soil, or poor crawlspace ventilation.

The purchase contract usually says which section the seller, the buyer, or both will pay to correct. Knowing the section for each finding makes that conversation quicker.

Further inspection items

Some areas cannot be fully checked during a standard inspection, such as a finished-over wall, a deck with no access underneath, a stored-full garage, or an attic or crawlspace that is blocked. These are listed on the report as inaccessible or as needing further inspection. If the parties want those areas checked, we can schedule a follow-up once access is opened, and any findings are added to the report.

Drywood and subterranean termite work

In the Sacramento area we see both main types. Drywood termites live inside the wood and are treated locally when the activity is contained, or with whole-structure fumigation when it is widespread. Subterranean termites come up from the soil and are treated at the soil and foundation. The report states which type we found and what we recommend, and we can schedule the work around your closing date.

Termite clearance for escrow

When the recommended work is finished, Zap issues a completion notice for the property (often called a termite clearance or certification). Escrow, the lender and the agents can then confirm that the items they agreed to correct are done. If the work is done by others, the report items they completed are not covered by our completion notice, which is one more reason to keep the inspection, the work and the clearance with one company.

VA, FHA and conventional loans

Loan rules for termite reports vary by loan type, lender and property, and they change over time. In general:

• VA and FHA loans may require a termite (WDO) report, and the lender or appraiser can require that certain findings be corrected before close.
• Conventional loans often leave the termite report to the purchase contract, but a lender or appraiser can still ask for one.

Lenders also set how recent the report must be. Please check the current requirements with the lender handling the loan, and send them to us with the order so the report and paperwork match what is needed.

What's in the report

• Property address, inspection date, and the inspector's and company's license information
• A diagram of the structure showing where each finding is
• Each finding numbered, described, and marked as Section 1, Section 2, or further inspection
• A recommendation for each finding, such as treatment, fumigation, wood repair or a moisture fix
• Areas that were inaccessible, and why

We deliver the report within 24 hours of the inspection and file it with the Structural Pest Control Board. Ask us if you would like the report sent to escrow, the agents, the buyer and the seller at the same time.

What to send us

• The property address, including unit number
• The closing date and any contingency deadlines
• Access: lockbox or agent meet, occupied or vacant, gate codes, pets
• Who pays for the report: escrow, seller or buyer
• Who should receive the report, and lender requirements if you have them

Use the order form below, call (916) 999-9747 Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM, or email office@zappest.com. Order early in escrow to leave time for review and any work. Learn more on our WDO inspections and termite inspection pages.

We work with agents and escrow officers throughout Rio Linda, Sacramento, North Highlands, Antelope, Citrus Heights, Carmichael, Fair Oaks, Roseville, Rocklin, Lincoln, Granite Bay, Rancho Cordova, Folsom, Elk Grove, West Sacramento, Davis, Woodland, Auburn, Placerville, Napa, Fairfield, Stockton and Lodi.