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Septic System Inspections
Dear Phyllis,
I plan to sell my La Canada home within the next year or two. I have lived in this 70-year-old home for 20 years and have never had any problems with my septic tank. My property sits in Sewer District 4, and no plans exist to connect it to the public sewer system. I worry about septic system inspections because I have heard nightmare stories from my coworkers about major problems that inspectors discover. Should I be worried? LCO
Dear LCO,
An interesting aspect of real estate is that often what I am most concerned about being an obstacle in escrow is not. And frequently it’s some other aspect that arises out of the blue.
La Canada’s aging septic systems often have difficulty passing a septic inspection. To confuse matters even more, inspection results differ depending upon the inspector. Although some inspectors could give your system a satisfactory rating, a septic inspector notes that the system is currently working but, because of its age or other issues may develop problems in the near future. This will likely be an issue for the buyer. Especially so because we don’t have a firm date for sewer connection for La Canada’s sewer districts 4, 5 or 6.
During your initial meeting with a La Canada real estate agent to discuss listing your home, share your concerns about passing a septic inspection. Assuming you list your home with someone in our community, they should have a recommendation for a septic inspector they know to be reasonable and fair.
Best of luck on your sale.
Related Post: Septic vs. sewer
