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Welcome to Market & Moments, where real estate broker Susan Kadilak shares market updates and lessons learned from more than two decades in the business.

Mold is one of those words that can immediately make home buyers nervous, but finding it during a home inspection doesn’t always mean there’s a major problem with the house. Mold needs moisture to grow, so when it’s discovered, the more important question is often, "Why is it there?"

Sometimes the source is obvious, such as a roof or plumbing leak. Other times, the problem is related to insulation, ventilation, or moisture from inside the home making its way into the attic. 

I recently represented a seller whose home had a fairly recent addition, so we weren’t expecting the attic to become an issue. During the buyer’s inspection, however, suspected mold was discovered in the attic. Further investigation revealed that the insulation had not been installed properly and the attic wasn’t adequately ventilated.

We first had the material tested to confirm that it was mold, and the results came back positive. From there, the existing insulation had to be removed, the attic professionally treated, and new insulation and proper ventilation installed.

By the time everything was completed, the unexpected repair had cost my clients more than $10,000. It was a good reminder that newer construction doesn’t necessarily mean everything behind the walls and ceilings was done correctly.

In another transaction, I represented buyers who had an accepted offer on a well-maintained Cape built in 1976. Everything looked good during the showings, but the home inspection uncovered mold in the attic. For these buyers, the discovery was particularly concerning because their son has asthma. After considering the issue and what would be involved in addressing it, they ultimately decided they weren’t comfortable moving forward and withdrew from the purchase. Another buyer might have chosen to investigate further or negotiate remediation, but every buyer has a different tolerance for risk, cost, and uncertainty.

So, is attic mold a reason to walk away from a house? Not necessarily.

In many cases, mold can be professionally remediated and the moisture or ventilation issue that caused it can be corrected. Buyers should understand the full scope of the problem before making that decision, and sellers should be prepared to react. If the buyer walks away from the transaction, this issue doesn’t go away with them. That may mean additional testing, obtaining remediation estimates, determining why the mold developed, and understanding what needs to change so it doesn’t come back. 

These two transactions had very different outcomes, but they illustrate exactly why a home inspection matters. A beautifully maintained home or a relatively new addition can still have problems that aren’t visible during a showing. 

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