Over the last couple of months, I’ve heard the word “radon” too many times.
It’s interesting because whenever I talk to other real estate professionals, I ask them how many of the homes they’ve dealt with have had radon in them, and they always say, “None.”
Some buyers from the East Coast have some knowledge about radon, as do a few homeowners.
Radon came to my attention when I was representing a buyer during a transaction on a house in Scottsdale. This house had fallen out of escrow because the radon test came back two points higher than the national standard of 4%.
“If the house has a basement or underground air units, order a radon test.”
Radon is an odorless, poisonous gas that can cause lung cancer over long periods of exposure. As I’ve learned more about radon, I’ve found that the reason most people don’t find it in our area is that hardly anyone looks for it.
I was always taught that radon tests are necessary in mountainous regions because radon comes from granite in the ground. However, this Scottsdale house was on a flat piece of dirt and ended up having a high radon content.
We made the offer contingent on the seller getting radon levels down. At first, the seller paid $5,000 to fix the problem. The radon levels did not go down. The seller then spent another $5,000. After all the work they did and money they spent, the radon levels actually went higher, which was no good, and the buyer walked away.
I just want to make sure that people are aware that radon is out there. If you are buying a home, ask for a radon test. They only cost $300 to $350. If the house has a basement or underground air units, then you definitely need to order a radon test.
If you have any other questions about radon or buying a home, just give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!
