(This story is dedicated to Porter.)
Your questions take me back to one of my favorite memories of becoming a homeowner, KN.
Advice: as noted, accompany your home inspector if you can, asking lots of questions about everything he does. Treat it like an hour-long class in home maintenance.
On termites, they depend on a water source. Typical problem spots are near a water leak or at the outside wall where flowerbed soil has been piled up too high against a slab foundation. If the house inspector doesn't find such problems or he doesn't recommend a termite inspection as a local necessity, you can probably skip a termite inspection.
Or you can call Tommy.
Our first house was bought when we were young, like you. We relied a lot on the advice of my broker. He was a smart guy, and had found me a great deal on a 50-year-old house, but he was not very experienced in the residential market.
Offer made and accepted? check
Contract form OK? check
Title insurance covered? check
Home condition inspection scheduled? check
The house inspector said he saw some evidence of past water leaks and a few wooden floor joists that might have damaged by termites. He didn't think there was a current infestation, but recommended an inspection by a specialist.
So I asked my broker for a recommendation........[crickets chirping - nothing]
Time was short, so I went to the yellow pages. AAAAAAABC Pest Control's name seemed too gimicky. Pictures of scary bugs didn't impress me. And, with no real basis, I figured that the big brand name companies would overcharge or bring a throw-down termite to ensure a treatment sale.
It didn't look good. But I turned to the second page of listings and knew I had found my hero....a picture of Tommy the termite dog. I figured a beagle's nose was at least as good as some guy in coveralls with a flashlight poking around down in a crawlspace.
And, since he was a dog and all, it was unlikely that Tommy would lie to me or be a cheat. So with blind faith in the power of science and the olfactory pre-eminence of the genus canine, I called and arranged for Tommy to make an inspection.
He arrived right on time, chauffeured rock-star style to the site in a van with his name and picture painted on the side. I remember it was one dramatic beagle picture - I think Tommy's portrait artist had a 1970's career painting bare-chested swordsmen on custom vans.
His trusty assistant left Tommy in the tour bus with the engine running and the AC on high while he came inside and set up the stage. (Actually, he performed a crawlspace inspection in the traditional style.) Tommy peered out the van's window, anxious for the curtain to go up.
Back on the front porch, the inspector said it looked like any termites were long gone, but said we'd only be sure if Tommy gave his concurrence. Almost on queue, Tommy began a fierce beagle howl, letting us know he thought it was showtime. The assistant looked me straight in the eye, (maybe even put his hand on my shoulder, I don't remember) and said "let's see what Tommy finds".
Release the hound! Tommy was all energy, pulling the poor handler all the way across the front yard. He leaped up the front steps two at a time, a dog on a mission.
Five minutes of dog toenails scratching across wood floors, furious sniffing and vigorous tail wagging ensued. I had no idea what Tommy would do if he actually found a termite, but it was clear that there would be hell to pay if he did.
Suddenly, Tommy stopped, either spent or giving us the sign that the evil termites were in our midst. Tommy looked up at me. His handler looked at Tommy, then me. Neither said anything for what seemed like an eternity. I had a lump in my throat. Finally, with all the drama of a soap opera doctor delivering a diagnosis, Tommy's spokesman said "we're good". Hurray!
I knew I had paid for a very good show, but for all these years I had thought it was just that, a show. Thanks to the internet, I now know termite-sniffing dogs are legit:
http://www.bedbugdog.biz/UF%20Brooks%20papaer.pdf
. I haven't called the 1-800 number to see if they recommend anyone else though.
