IS THAT A (GASP) CRACK?

Few things will send an already nervous Buyer running for the hills than a crack in the foundation. As soon as it shows up in the inspection report they can see their new home breaking in half like the Titanic as their children scream, Fido barks and they scramble to save the big screen TV. Yes, a crack is not good, we all know that. And sometimes it is an indication of something very bad. But mostly its a result of anything from settling to an errant workman who whacked a wall with a Bobcat while working in the foundation (true story). The important thing for a Realtor is to reassure your Buyer, and get a structural engineer out there to take a look. Now that in itself can add an interesting spin to the negotiation as many Buyers will insist the Seller pays for the structural engineer and that's where your Agent's expertise comes in. The structural engineer will inspect the foundation and will provide a written opinion. It can range from a requirement to repair it, to a suggestion to watch it to see if it grows over time. Engineers have told me that so long as the cracks don't extend to interior walls, chances are the foundation crack is benign and merely cosmetic. But we all know that's little comfort to a Home Buyer who is certain the home is shifting on the foundation and ready to collapse. In our experience we've found the structural engineer can always suggest some kind of repair, even if the crack is minor. While some Buyers will be okay if the engineer says it's nothing to worry about, most will only be satisfied if some action is taken. In that case, we always insist the Seller make some repairs to the crack and get paperwork to back it up. If the home was built within the last ten years, the original builder's structural warranty can come into play. However it's handled, it's the job of the Realtor is to manage the panic and to be sure that whatever action is taken will stand up down the road if a problem arises. That way the only courtroom we have to see is on Law & Order. Thanks for reading and we'll see you around the neighborhood.