Sell a Termite-Damaged House for Cash in California

California structural pest control inspections, governed by the state's Structural Pest Control Board, sort findings into two categories. Section 1 findings mean there's evidence of active infestation, infection, or damage that requires correction now. Section 2 findings mean there's a conducive condition — something like wood-to-earth contact or excess moisture — that's likely to cause a problem eventually, but there's no active infestation or damage present yet. This distinction matters enormously at the point of sale, because many lenders, especially on FHA and VA loans, require all Section 1 items to be corrected and formally cleared before they'll fund. Section 2 items are typically just disclosed and negotiated, not required.

Northern California's mix of valley and foothill climate supports both major termite types. Subterranean termites need soil contact and build mud tubes to reach wood above ground; they're the more common source of serious structural damage. Drywood termites infest exposed wood directly without needing soil contact at all, and they're common in older Sacramento-area homes and foothill cabins throughout Nevada and El Dorado counties. The distinction between cosmetic and structural damage comes down to what's actually compromised: surface tunneling in an old shed or minor trim damage is cosmetic, while damage to sill plates, floor joists, or subfloor sheathing — sometimes requiring the framing to be sistered or replaced outright — is structural, and structural damage is what stalls escrows.

Even before repairs enter the picture, treatment itself varies enormously by termite type and infestation scope. Localized or spot treatment for a limited subterranean infestation typically runs $300 to $1,500. Full perimeter soil treatment for a more established subterranean colony commonly costs $1,000 to $2,500. Drywood infestations are often more involved to fully eliminate, since the colonies can be hidden throughout the structure rather than confined near the soil line — whole-structure fumigation, or tenting, generally runs $1,500 to $3,500 depending on the size of the house, and it's frequently what a Section 1 clearance ultimately requires when localized treatment can't reliably reach every affected area.

In a typical retail sale, the buyer orders a pest inspection, Section 1 findings come back, and the buyer demands either that the seller complete repairs before closing or credit the estimated cost at closing. That's where things stall: disputes over scope are common, since a $1,200 spot treatment and an $18,000 subfloor replacement can both technically address the same Section 1 finding depending on how far the damage actually extends. Re-inspection to confirm any repairs adds more time. In the worst cases, the pest control clearance simply can't be issued until real structural work is completed, and the transaction collapses days before it was supposed to close.

A cash sale removes the lender requirement that drives most of this conflict. There's no clearance report required before we close. You disclose whatever pest reports or inspection history exist, and we factor treatment and structural repair costs into our offer directly. You're not chasing contractor bids on a deadline, and you're not gambling a closing date on a re-inspection schedule that's out of your control.