Watching out for pest-infested houses when moving in Metro Vancouver (2)

In the first article of our two-part series on spotting a pest-infested house, we learned that it is important to do your research on pest infestations before moving into a potential future home. The more knowledge you have, the more problems you can avoid. In this second part, we will cover a few more tips on how to spot a pest infestation on a property.

Before you move, spot the pest infestation signs outdoors

If there is a pest infestation issue in a house, it is unlikely that the landlord or current homeowner will readily fess up. If a homeowner isn’t upfront about the property’s existing pest problems, they may try to hide the problem by temporarily getting rid of any signs of pest infestation. Things that can be missed or overlooked by homeowners and property viewers alike, are that pest infestation signs and potential infestation signs can be found outdoors as well as indoors.

Potential pest-infestation signs to look for in Metro Vancouver

First, notice the neighbouring lots of the property. Is the property around stagnant bodies of water? Since mosquitoes lay eggs directly on still water, it is probably good to consider whether mosquito infestations will be a problem if you live next to a pond, or a lake.

What about neglected alleyways? These can be great breeding grounds for pests, especially if there is scattered garbage piling up in the area. This is especially worrisome in an area like the Metro Vancouver area, where it is wet and rainy on most months. Pests tend to prefer moisture and food, which makes a wet, garbage filled alleyway good breeding grounds for them.

Another pest-infestation sign to look for is electrical wires in areas that are not secured. Many times, worn out plastic covers of electrical wires are not just from wear and tear through time. It may be that there are rats or mice nearby or in the house that are gnawing through the wires.

What does a pest-infested yard look like?

Take a look at the yard, especially the plants and the grass. Gnawing on the blades of the grass or the leaves of plants is a good sign that there may be insect problems in the yard. If ants are a big problem, you may be able to spot trails of them around the edges of the garden or the lawn, or even ant hills near the pavement.

Hiring a pre-purchase inspector to look for signs of pest-infestation

If you do not have time to learn about pests, ideally you would want to hire a third party pre-purchase pest inspector. These pre-purchase inspections experts are knowledgeable about pest infestations. They are able to identify what type of pests are present and also whether it is an easy task to terminate them.

If you’ve spotted a pest-infested house, it may not be the worst thing. If you know what the problem is, and if it is an easy fix, you may have an advantage. If you don’t mind doing a little extra work before you move in, you can use this issue as a lever to lower the renting or buying price. But beware, since insects may like to come back.

Contact Ferguson Moving 

We hope this article has been helpful in providing some ideas on what to look for during a property viewing before you move. For all your moving needs as well as storage solutions, contact us at 604-922-2212 or contact us online today!