Selling a Plano Home With Termite Damage: Records, Repairs, and Sale Choices
Start with a clear record—not a guess
A termite history does not, by itself, decide how you must sell. Buyers will want to understand whether activity is current, what was treated, whether damaged wood was repaired, and what remains uncertain. Before listing or requesting offers, collect the documents and separate confirmed facts from assumptions.
Search for pest-control invoices, treatment diagrams, warranty or retreatment terms, inspection reports, contractor proposals, paid repair receipts, permits if relevant, and dated photos. Ask the pest-control company for missing copies. Make a simple timeline: inspection date, reported insect activity, treatment date, repair work, and any later inspection. If a report identifies conducive conditions—such as wood-to-soil contact—record whether those were addressed, without claiming that treatment eliminates all future risk.
Understand what the Texas paperwork says
For many previously occupied, single-family home sales, Texas law requires a Seller’s Disclosure Notice. The statutory notice asks whether the seller knows of active termites, previous wood-destroying insect structural or roof repair, termite or wood-rot damage, previous termite damage, and previous termite treatment; a “yes” answer calls for an explanation. The law calls for the notice to be completed to the seller’s best belief and knowledge when signed, and says unknown information should be marked unknown. There are exceptions to the statute, so do not assume the same rule applies to every transfer. Review the current Texas Property Code §5.008 and ask a Texas real-estate attorney or agent about your circumstances.
The Texas Real Estate Commission’s Seller’s Disclosure Notice page lists Form 55-1 as effective May 28, 2026. The disclosure is not the same document as a pest inspection report. Avoid guessing at dates, extent, or treatment results; explain what you know and keep supporting documents together. A sale described as “as-is” does not make a known history disappear. For a broader explanation of that distinction, see Ninebird’s Texas as-is sale overview.
If you obtain an inspection or treatment proposal
The Texas Department of Agriculture regulates structural pest-control applicators. For a real-estate transaction, the agency says the Wood Destroying Insect Report should use official form SPCS/T-5; it reports visible presence or absence. Inspection is not a guarantee that concealed areas are free of insects or damage. The agency also says written termite-treatment proposals must include specified details, including a diagram, warranty terms, pesticide label, and application information. Read the Texas Department of Agriculture’s termite and WDI guidance and ask the licensed company what its inspection could and could not access.
Get a repair estimate that answers buyer questions
If damaged framing, trim, flooring, or other wood is suspected, ask an appropriately qualified contractor to inspect the affected areas and distinguish pest treatment from carpentry or structural repair. A pest company’s treatment proposal may not price reconstruction; likewise, a general repair estimate may not address pest activity. Request itemized scope, exclusions, access assumptions, and whether concealed damage could change the price. If the inspector recommends an engineer or specialist, consider obtaining that opinion before making a repair decision.
You do not necessarily need to complete every proposed job before sale. But a written estimate helps you compare “repair then list” against selling with the condition documented. It also gives a buyer something more useful than a verbal cost guess. Keep paid receipts and any completion or follow-up documents with the original inspection; do not describe a repair as certified or warrantied unless the paperwork supports that statement.
Choose a sale route with the trade-offs in view
Repair and list: May make sense if the work is well-defined, you can manage the time and cost, and you want to present a more fully repaired home to the broadest buyer pool. Costs, access, and scheduling can be uncertain, and the buyer may still inspect or negotiate.
Disclose and sell without completing repairs: A conventional buyer may accept documented history, but may request a credit, repairs, or additional investigation. The contract and negotiation determine the outcome; avoid promising that a buyer or lender will accept a particular condition.
Consider a direct as-is offer: This may reduce repair coordination and showings, but compare the written offer and terms against likely net proceeds from listing. Ninebird describes its Plano purchase process and property options on its Plano seller page; review contract terms and independently assess what suits your priorities. For a neutral checklist of trade-offs between approaches, consult its sale comparison page.
Questions to prepare for a buyer
Be ready to answer: Was activity active or historical according to the report? What areas were inspected, and what was inaccessible? What treatment was performed and when? Is a warranty transferable, and who confirms its remaining terms? Were damaged materials repaired, by whom, and are receipts available? Is a follow-up inspection recommended? If you do not know, say so rather than infer an answer. Give buyers copies of records you rely on, and preserve the originals.
If a report or estimate raises a structural concern, get a qualified opinion before representing the scope as settled. Disclosure and contract questions can be fact-specific, so consult a licensed Texas real-estate professional or attorney as appropriate.
A low-pressure next step: Gather your records and one itemized estimate, then compare the practical costs and timing of repair-and-listing with an as-is offer before deciding.
