Did a recent article in both the Virginia Pilot and the Wall Street Journal cause Prudential Towne Realty to disclose the existence of Chinese Drywall in one of their listings ?
An article in the Virginian-Pilot of Hampton Roads and the Wall Street Journal reported that real estate agents have listed “several houses” built with tainted, Chinese-made drywall . These homes, understandably, are being listed at steeply-discounted prices. But the
home listings offered no indication of drywall problems.
Kimber Smith president of Prudential Towne’s Peninsula division stated “It’s not in the public remarks because we certainly want people to inquire about the property,” He commented that prominently advertising the drywall is not in the best interest of the seller.
It also could be argued that this tactic isn’t in the best interest of the buyer, who likely isn’t interested in buying a home that needs to be completely gutted and therefore is wasting his time even looking at the home.
Apparently he rethought his statement. The PUBLIC Description now reads:
“Chinese drywall material is present in this property”
At $207,000, the five-bedroom, 2,700-square-foot home in Williamsburg sounds like a phenomenal deal, even in this housing market.
“Yes the price is correct!” read the real estate listing in the local MLS. “What an opportunity. Property to convey ‘as is, where is.’ ”
Sure, that’s a discount, but would it be worth the hassle and risk to gut it? Although the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s advice to homeowners living with the Chinese drywall is to simply get rid of it, the crisis is so new that it is still unknown whether any long-term effects will linger.
And besides, most homebuyers want to buy a home that’s ready for them to move into, not one that’s going to take them months if not years until it’s move-in ready.
The home above is one of several houses containing tainted Chinese-made drywall that have been popping up in the Hampton Roads real estate market recently. At least a half-dozen such homes were listed for sale this week in REIN and WAAR MLS.
Although some disclose to the public the presence of the drywall, other listings disclose that information only in private remarks section viewable by real estate agents.( Note, I am a real estate agent and will gladly share all information I know with clients who work with me.)
. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission found that the wallboard emits higher levels of volatile sulfur gases than typical U.S.-made drywall and probably is causing metal corrosion in homes. The commission has recommended that homeowners rip out the problem wallboard, electrical wiring and natural gas piping.
Numerous other listed homes also offer potential buyers no hints that there is anything wrong with the properties.
“Elegant tri-level townhome in Hollymeade Village,” stated one listing for a home on Avondale Lane in Newport News.
Although no study has yet linked the drywall to specific health problems, homeowners have complained of respiratory issues and headaches, and an April report from the Consumer Product Safety Commission identified five brands of Chinese-made “problem drywall,” and said that some Chinese-made samples emitting hydrogen sulfide at a rate 100 times greater than non-Chinese drywall boards.
Also in April, seven homeowners—four of them in Williamsburg—were awarded $2.6 million by a federal judge in Louisiana for damages to their homes caused by drywall produced by Taishan Gypsum, although some legal experts say the homeowners are unlikely to collect because the company is owned by the Chinese government.
What say you? Would you even consider buying a home with tainted drywall, even at a $150,000 discount?
Do you think sellers should be required to reveal the presence of Chinese Drywall in public comments ?
Read more about Chinese Drywall issues in Williamsburg and Hampton Roads Virginia here
To see a list of addresses in Virginia where Chinese drywall was delivered, this is a delivery manifest from Venture Drywall Supply. The list was compiled for national litigation.
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