Can we negotiate on damage we don't see?

Cheri, yes, and the way to do it is to make the seller's answer the information. The thread already covered moisture meters and thermal imaging, so here is what I would actually do, in order. Step one, before you spend anything: ask the listing agent, in writing, three specific questions. Was there ever a water intrusion event in the basement. If so, when, what caused it, who repaired it, and is there an invoice. And has the carpet been replaced since. Put it in writing and get the answer in writing. Sellers have disclosure obligations regarding known material defects, and a written question narrows the space for a vague answer. If the answer comes back as a non-answer, that is data. Step two: have your inspector specifically scope this. Do not assume a general home inspection covers it, because many do not include the basement moisture question at this level of detail. Ask for a moisture meter reading across the carpet in a grid, particularly along the perimeter and near any floor drain or past leak location, plus infrared imaging of the walls and floor. One caution worth having in advance so you read the report correctly: infrared shows temperature differences, not mold and not moisture directly. A thermal anomaly points you where to put the meter. It is not a finding on its own, and it gets oversold. Step three, and this is the part nobody has mentioned: ask for written permission to lift a corner. Specifically, request that you be permitted to pull back the carpet in one or two locations of your inspector's choosing, and that you will re-tack it and be responsible for restoring it. That is a small, reasonable, cheap request. Put it in writing through your agent. Now watch what happens. A seller with nothing to hide almost always says yes, because it costs them nothing and it removes the objection. A seller who says no to lifting one corner of a carpet in a basement they have told you is fine has just told you something. Either answer moves you forward, which is why this is the request I would lead with. Step four, if the meter reads elevated or the corner shows staining: bring in a mold inspector, not a remediation company. Those are different businesses and you do not want the person who diagnoses it to also be the person who bids the fix. Ask for air sampling with an outdoor control sample taken the same day, because indoor spore counts mean nothing without the outdoor comparison, and a report without one is not interpretable. Ask for surface sampling on anything visible. On the negotiation itself. You have more leverage than you think while your inspection contingency is alive. Three structures, in the order I would prefer them: Seller remediates before closing, with a licensed remediation contractor, and provides a post-remediation clearance test. That clearance test is the part people forget and it is the whole point. Without it you have a receipt, not a resolution. Seller credits you at closing based on a real bid, and you handle it after. Cleaner, but your loan program caps what the seller can contribute and the lender has to approve it, so run the number past your loan officer first. Escrow holdback, where funds are held after closing pending the work. Not every lender allows it. Ask early. What I would not do is accept a vague promise to "take care of it." Get the scope, the contractor, the standard and the verification in writing. And if it turns out to be extensive, remember that you have a contingency for a reason. Walking away from a house because of concealed water damage is not a failure. It is the contingency doing exactly what you paid for. I am a real estate professional, not an industrial hygienist or an attorney, and Wisconsin disclosure specifics should come from your agent and, if this gets complicated, from a local attorney. My name is Zoltan Peresztegi and I work in Los Angeles, the South Bay and on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, so I am not the person on your Milwaukee contract. Your buyer's agent should be driving all of this for you. If you do not have one, or yours is not pushing hard on it, message me and I will connect you with someone in Milwaukee who will. Zoltan

our concern is understandable. A previous leak doesn't automatically mean there is mold, but it does justify additional investigation before closing. In my 23+ years as a Realtor, I've found that when buyers suspect moisture issues, it's usually better to gather more information rather than guess. One option is to hire a qualified mold inspector or environmental testing company to perform testing. Depending on the situation, they may recommend: Air quality testing to measure mold spores in the basement compared to other areas of the home. Surface testing if there are visible areas of concern. Moisture meter readings to determine whether elevated moisture is still present. Thermal imaging to help identify hidden moisture behind walls or under flooring. While no test can see through carpet and padding without invasive investigation, air quality and mold testing can often provide valuable clues about whether an active mold problem may exist. I would also review any available documentation regarding the leak. Questions I'd want answered include: What caused the leak? When was it repaired? Was any professional remediation performed? Are receipts or warranties available? Has the area remained dry since the repair? If testing reveals evidence of mold or ongoing moisture issues, you may have grounds to negotiate repairs, remediation, or a credit from the seller, depending on your contract and inspection contingency. This is exactly the type of situation where your Realtor can help coordinate additional inspections and advise you on your options before your inspection period expires. The goal isn't necessarily to prove there is mold under the carpet. The goal is to determine whether there is evidence of a current moisture or air-quality issue that could affect your decision to move forward with the purchase. Mary Wassef Founder | Broker Circa Real Estate Top Producing Houston Realtor | Luxury & Historic Home Specialist Five Star Professional Award Recipient (15+ Years) | Luxury Home Marketing Guild Member | PRNEWS Award Winner Serving Houston Heights, Woodland Heights, Sunset Heights, Norhill, Garden Oaks, Oak Forest & Spring Branch

Cheri, typically proof is required to get a reaction. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

Yes — if it’s discovered during the inspection/due diligence period. You can negotiate repairs, credits, or price reductions based on what the inspection reveals.

In most situations, you can not negotiate for what you think might be an issue in the future. In most states including SC You are given a Due Diligence period to do inspections. a good home inspector might be able to do a moisture read on the area to determine if there are high moisture readings. Express your concerns with the inspector and see if they may be able to give you more details of any issues. and then have your REALTOR relay those concerns based on the inspections to the selling agent and the sellers. Then go from there based on the recommendations of the inspector and the REALTOR representing your side of the process.

Here in MN, anytime someone lists their property they need to fill out a Sellers Disclosure Form, they can either fill out the disclosure statement form OR the disclosures alternatives form. If they fill out the disclosure statement form, they need to mark on it any damage that has happened to the property that they are aware of. even if it was fixed. Another good thing to have done when buying a home is to get an inspection through a trusted company and mention your concerns before they go out there to inspect the home. You can always re-negotiate after the inspection is done.

There is a moisture reader; if their evidence of moisture, then I could recommend having a professional pull up the carpet to see if there is mold and where the moisture is coming from

I would recommed to get a home inspection by a liv=censed professional.