Prospective homebuyers are prone to backing out immediately if the home inspection uncovers mold. This is usually a hasty response. Some level of mold is, in fact, quite common in homes. Of course, that doesn’t mean you should simply ignore it, but there’s also no need to panic.

Feel free to ask the inspector questions about the mold they found. You’ll want to know how severe the issue is and what the root cause of it is. If the issue is minor, you may even be able to fix it yourself — however, you’ll want to make sure of that beforehand, since mold can hide in places that aren’t visible.

Also, keep in mind that the inspector is neither a mold testing service nor a mold removal service. And yes, these are different things — while a mold removal service often will test for mold, there’s a potential conflict of interest if the same company is both testing for and removing it. If you think you’ll need professionals to deal with the problem, do your research. You’ll also want to know whether your homeowner’s insurance covers mold removal and associated repairs, as policies can differ.

Photo by Jonas Denil on Unsplash