Mold Restoration and Remediation in Real Estate Sales
First Team Real Estate I received a call from a client whose voice was filled with concern and urgency. She needed my assistance to sell her widowed father's home. She told me that her parents purchased the home 42 years ago, but since the death of her mother, her father has spent long stretches away from the house due to overseas obligations, and the beloved family home was in bad shape.
We met at the house the next day and when I entered, I was immediately struck with a strong musty odor that filled the air. It was so pungent that I felt compelled to put on a mask.
The reality of the situation hit me hard as I viewed the dimly lit interior with cobwebs draped from every corner, and the air was heavy with the aroma of mildew.
This was a stark contrast to the warmth and liveliness a family home should exude. The fireplace, a focal point of cozy gatherings, now stood marred by a gaping hole, and the ceiling above bore the telltale signs of water damage with unsightly yellow and black stains. The garage revealed further distress— the walls, adjacent to a once-inviting wet bar and bathroom were riddled with holes and damp black streaks. I knew this was caused from years of water leaking behind the walls. As I continued my tour, each room bore the unmistakable signs of abandonment. She asked me about just putting the house on the market in its current condition, and I explained that, if we were to do that, her dad would lose several hundred thousand dollars.
Despite the daunting task ahead, my team and I saw an opportunity to breathe new life into this neglected property and provide her dad a much higher return on his investment. I felt a sense of determination to exceed her expectations and unlock the true value hidden within these walls.
The first step was to address the pervasive mold issue. My team member Cabot Harvey and I contacted a contractor to open up the areas of distress. He found that not only was there mold but that wood framing was also rotten due to excessive water leaks and would have to be replaced as well. Next, we called for airquality testing to be performed to get a baseline of spores in the air. We then hired a remediation company that came in to treat all the infected areas, after which they retested the air to make sure we were now within safe limits.
Next came the restoration phase—replacing rotten wood and repairing damaged drywall.
The fireplace was carefully restored to its former glory. With each repair completed, the house began to shed its worn facade, revealing glimpses of its former grandeur. We then continued to fix up the home with a fresh coat of paint, some new flooring, and light fixtures that added warmth and illuminated the rooms.
The seller spent a little over $60,000 and Cabot and I oversaw the work of numerous contractors over a two-month period. Exterior paint, a gardener, and staging were the final touches and the transformation was complete.
The house was now ready to be unveiled to prospective buyers.
A carefully orchestrated marketing campaign generated buzz, drawing interest from many buyers eager to discover the hidden gem nestled within the quiet neighborhood.
Within days offers began pouring in, each one a testament to the success of our endeavor. In the end, the property sold for over $1,600,000 which netted the seller approximately $200K over the $60K he invested in the home.
The owner reaped the rewards of his decision to follow our advise. And for me, it was a reminder of why I do what I do—to make a difference, one home at a time.
Mold can be a scary word when buying or selling a house, and there is lot of information out on the internet that can be confusing. The best way to deal with any type of mold issues is to hire a professional who is licensed to handle the repair.