VA Loan Termite Inspection and Treatment in Fair Lawn, NJ

What is a VA loan termite inspection?

A VA loan termite inspection is a check of the house for wood-destroying insects — mainly subterranean termites, plus carpenter ants and other insects that damage wood. You'll often hear it called a WDI inspection or a termite letter. The report says whether there's active infestation, evidence of past activity, damage, or conditions that make an infestation likely.

Lenders want it because termite damage affects the value and soundness of the home they're lending on. VA loans in New Jersey generally call for one, and many conventional and FHA buyers order one anyway because termites are common in North Jersey.

A few things only your lender and agent can tell you, so ask them early:

• Which report form they need and who it should be sent to.
• How recent the report must be — lenders usually want it dated close to closing, so don't book it months ahead.
• Who pays for the inspection and any treatment — that's set by your contract and loan rules, not by us.

Tell us those answers when you book and we'll make sure the paperwork matches what your lender asked for.

Termites and Fair Lawn homes

Fair Lawn has a lot of homes built in the middle of the last century — Cape Cods, colonials, split-levels and ranches on quiet streets — along with the planned Radburn neighborhood and newer townhouses and condos. Many have full basements, and a lot of those basements were finished years ago.

That matters for a termite inspection. Eastern subterranean termites live in the soil and come up through the foundation, often traveling behind paneling, inside block walls or under carpeted floors. In a finished basement the inspector may only see the edges — the utility room, under the stairs, around the boiler and the sump. Additions, enclosed porches and attached garages are other common trouble spots, where new framing meets an old foundation.

The western side of town along the Passaic River and the parks along it tend to have damper soil, and older trees and wood mulch beds are everywhere in town. None of that means a house has termites, but it's why a careful inspection is worth doing even when the house looks perfect.

If termites are found: treatment and repair before closing

Finding termites during a sale is common, and it usually doesn't kill a deal — it just needs a plan. When we find active termites in a Fair Lawn home, we explain where they are, how we'll treat, and what the lender is likely to need.

• Treatment. Most often a liquid soil treatment along the foundation plus the active areas, so termites coming up from the ground hit the treated zone. We explain where we treat and any precautions before we start.
• Repair. If the sill plate, joists, beams or framing are damaged, our crew repairs the wood ourselves after treatment — no second contractor to schedule before your closing.
• Moisture fixes. We point out gutters, downspouts, leaks and wood-to-soil contact that should be corrected.

Learn more: termite damage repair in NJ and liquid treatment vs. bait systems.