WHO KNEW THAT SELLING A HOME COULD BE A REAL PAIN IN THE ASBESTOS?!

If your home was built in Canada before 1990, there’s a real possibility that it contains asbestos in some form.  This can be a major red flag for potential buyers, and can seriously hinder your ability to sell that property.  Even if a new buyer is planning to tear down your old house, they still have to properly deal with the asbestos.

Why is asbestos such a scary word?  It’s a mineral fiber that was commonly used in building materials for insulation, and as a fire retardant.  The problem arises when those materials are disturbed:  for a renovation, for electrical upgrades, to fix a Poly B plumbing issue in a house, and even for demolition of a home.  With these changes to the house, microscopic asbestos fibers are released.  If they are inhaled, they cause serious health issues like lung cancer and mesothelioma.  Yikes!  For more information, check out this article:  https://allowayproperty.com/understanding-asbestos-in-canadian-homes/.

The other half of the problem is that dealing with asbestos is no walk in the park!  It’s a complicated and expensive process that requires special training and equipment to safely remove and dispose of the old asbestos materials.  Typically, it’s the last thing any home seller wants to be dealing with when they’re just wanting out of a property.  We’ve seen estimates for asbestos removal for a single-family home as high as $50,000 to $70,000.  Who wants to spend that much on a home they’re about to sell?!!

But wait there’s more:  once a homeowner knows that their house has asbestos, they MUST disclose that issue to a buyer.  Otherwise, it becomes what is called a “latent material defect,” and the buyer can sue the seller—even long after a deal closes!

The good news is that there is a fast and easy solution to selling a house with asbestos:  sell it to a cash buyer, or a company that specializes in buying homes in their current condition.  This is a legal way to bypass the traditional real estate process, thereby avoiding multiple inspections, negotiations, and financing/insurance hurdles.

Professional home buyers are willing to take on the responsibility of dealing with any asbestos issues.  This means sellers can get out of their home quickly, and without all the hassle of hazardous materials.  Ultimately, it saves a home seller time, money and stress, so they can move on to their next chapter in life with peace of mind.

Visit https://westerncanadianhomebuyers.ca/ to learn more about how Western Canadian Homebuyers helps sellers navigate the challenge of selling problem properties.  Or give us a call to find out more about our fast, hassle-free cash-buying solutions.  Our dedicated team will streamline the process as much as possible, and work with your lawyer on the paperwork.

Don’t let the fear and uncertainty of asbestos in your home hold you back!  We have solutions to help people get out safely and quickly.