South Florida has common problems with houses due to its warm climate, high humidity level and being a tourist attraction of an endless summer!
Mold growth. Allergic reactions to mold are the most common health effects of mold. Allergic reactions may happen immediately or develop after a period of time following exposure. Symptoms of mold allergy may include sneezing, runny nose, coughing, wheezing, tearing and redness of the eyes, and skin irritation or rash. Asthma attacks may be caused by mold or mold spores in people who have asthma and are allergic to mold. Even in some non-allergic individuals, mold can irritate the eyes, skin, and airways. For example, the “black mold”, along with some other types of mold, produces toxins known as mycotoxins that can cause irritation of the skin and airways in susceptible individuals”.
Termites. Florida is prone to high termite activity. The southeastern climate is perfect for colonies of termites to multiply and destroy the wooden parts of homes from inside by eating up the wood and deteriorating the structural integrity of the building. These insects may live in underground, inside wood, build nests inside the walls of the houses. There are different kinds of termites that create same damage but with different speed. It is imperative to have a home inspector to check for any visible termite damage because usually when homeowners start to notice any termite damage it might be to late and the home may already need an extensive renovation and safety structural evaluation. Usually, termites do not show any signs of its existence before it is too late.
Insects and rodents. In case the home was not cared for properly, there may be a great damage caused by insects and rodents that love to take advantage of Florida homes. We advise our homeowners to sign up with a service extermination company for regular once a month maintenance or do the treatments themselves in order to avoid the problem. If a home inspector finds the problem, our agent will address it to a seller’s agent representative and will deal with it according to your instructions.
In South Florida, a lot of homeowners love to transfer their garage into an extra bedroom. Although this is a common practice here, a thorough investigation of opened and closed permits and zoning bylaws may be required. Even though this is a part for a real estate lawyer to handle, our agents will request an information from the seller’s agent representative and will check with the city, plus will add a clause to a contract to insure seller’s guarantee to close all outstanding permits and also to insure that all alterations were done with proper permits, unless directed by our client otherwise. In the latest case, a full disclosure will be signed.
There are a number of other possible legal problems that may be uncovered during the closing by a title agent or your real estate lawyer that I or my colleague will handle together with you. We are always available to assist our clients.
