Posted on 06/30/2009 10:22:34 AM PDT by soccermom
OK, this is clearly a vanity post and not that earth-shattering, but I thought I would share it in light of the recent cap-and-trade news. We are currently in the process of buying a home from some liberal Obama devotees. We don't know them at all, but it is abundantly clear from their bumper stickers, buttons, Obama inaugural pens, books etc.
Anyway, in the home inspection process of the negotiations, we discovered that the home has high levels of radon which need to be mitigated. The sellers refuse to pay for this correction which would be, roughly, $900. Now this isn't a deal-breaker for us. We'll take care of this ourselves. I just found it ironic that, had this been a business, these people would be the first ones picketing and accusing the business of poisoning children etc. I also find it ironic that, had this idiotic cap-and-trade legislation - that I can only assume they embrace- been in effect right now, the government would have mandated them to fix the problem before they could sell the house.
Now, I'm not saying that is what I want. We are adults and we are perfectly content to negotiate this on our own -- let the market decide. I just find it hypocritical that the owners aren't willing to do what they will mandate on everyone else.
$900 my arse.. Mitigation of Radon is much more expensive and is exponentially dictated by the degree of radon exposure. Even a generous mitigation quote would cost about $1800, and as much as $5000.
D-
4.8 pCi/L
As I understand it, that isn’t terribly high but beyond the limit.
Gee. Wait till they need the approval of a Federal bureaucratic inspector in order to sell it. He’ll have to check all their windows & doors for air leakage and they have to fix them BEFORE they can sell the house. Oh...and his inspection will also include the appliances. IF any don’t meet the current energy conservation criteria, they’ll have to be upgraded too....all at their expense and before they can sell the house. (read the cap & trade debacle and weep).
I wonder how all that hopey/changey thingy will work for em then???
Here in SW Pennsylvania, a radon test is mandatory for a title transfer and, if the home doesn't pass, the problem has to be corrected and retested until it does pass to get a title transfer.
I really do not know enough to say whether radon is the claimed threat or not, but I do know that you shouldn't buy a house without a clear title transfer.
I got around the problem in North Dakota when I gave the buyer's a quit-claim deed. The law there was that he county had to accept a quit-claim deed as a title transfer after the buyers occupied it for three consecutive years. Thus, we were able to avoid the mandatory radon test quite legally.
Yikes — well that is better to know before we close. Thanks for the input everyone.
How much will it cost to have a psychic come in to remove all the bad vibes left over from the Obamania of the previous occupants?
Yeah after reading through your story and the first few comments I wouldn’t buy the house period...it IS a deal breaker on the merits of it being a poison...period. I lived up north and know the radon deal...but they should eat the cost...knock 900 off your offer.
LOL
We bought a house with high radon levels back in the 80’s. We threatened to walk unless the sellers remedied the situation. The fix was originally thought to be a few hundred. Turned out to be around 1500 dollars. Make the sellers pay for it and make sure you get an independent retest.
With all the inventory on the market, you’d even consider a house with “...... high levels of radon”?
Unless it was very special in some way, I’d run not walk from this deal....but your views of the liberal mindset are well taken. ;-D
I know. That is what I find most ironic. I don’t know enough about Radon to know if it is a legit concern or more environmental hysteria. I just find it stunning that these people are devoted to a man who will make the home-selling process a living hell in the future. If it weren’t going to cost me anything to “teach them a lesson,” I would walk. But I’m not going to cut off my nose to spite my face. Interest rates are already going up — jumped 3/4 of a point from the time of our pre-qualification to now and I imagine the prices are going to start going up as Obama continues to screw with the economy. So I’m not going to start all over again.
;-)
Good to know. I feel a little better now. Thanks for the input.
That sucks. Radon is nothing but a total and complete scam so sellers of those fans and testing can get more money on every home sale.
I bet if we introduced a passage into an environmental bill that said no device may be installed that removes air from the home to help prevent CO in the atmosphere from the additional utilities the environmental wackos would go for it and this radon scam would go away once and for all.
Radon is another example of the sick joke our government has become. The EPA backed the Radon scam as no doubt people within the EPA were paid off or emotionally believed in it as liberals, but now the EPA has backed off mandatory testing. They can’t seem to simply disclaim it as they are afraid they have already put their mouth in it.
The EPA is a useless taxpayer welfare state.
lol
Yikes, Gaffer! I’m emailing you before I buy my next house!!
(So, you a fisherman or film type of Gaffer?)
Most states consider radon problems need to be remediated by the seller. That is the normal position, but if the seller can negotiate you to pay for it, all the better for them. I wouldn’t let them do it (particularly since they are libs and should be looking after your welfare!).
Tell them that, based on the bumperstickers, buttons, pens, etc. that you’ve seen them sporting, it’s clear the radon gas in the house has affected their mental capabilities and muddled their thinking. Tell them you will not put yourself in harm’s way until they recognize there is a problem and pay to have it resolved.
(above assumes you don’t care about losing the house, but hey, it’s a buyer’s market...)
;-)
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