[lowspeed]

I'm looking at a house and most of the walls have this:

The house has not been occupied for a while.....

Is this a major issue?

 

[md2lgyk]

Looks like surface mold to me. A major issue? Depends on if it's inside the walls.

 

[lowspeed]

How do you check ?

Cut a piece of the wall ? What if that's not a possibility ?

 

[tony.g]

What are we looking at? And whereabouts on the house is it (whatever 'it' is)?

 

[joecaption]

If there not willing to let you find out just how bad it is then they just did you a favor.
Walk away and find a differant house to by.
Mold issues can get expencive real quick.

 

[lowspeed]

the photo is of a bedroom.

It's an auction property.

 

[Daniel Holzman]

That looks like mold, as others have said. Since this is an auction house, are you suggesting that it will be impossible to perform a detailed investigation of the property prior to bidding? If so, I would strongly consider purchasing a different property. Mold always requires moisture, relatively warm temperature, and a food source. The wall is the food source, but where is the water coming from? That is a question I would want a definitive answer to before I put up hard cash for a property.

 

[ddawg16]

That looks like mold, as others have said. Since this is an auction house, are you suggesting that it will be impossible to perform a detailed investigation of the property prior to bidding? If so, I would strongly consider purchasing a different property. Mold always requires moisture, relatively warm temperature, and a food source. The wall is the food source, but where is the water coming from? That is a question I would want a definitive answer to before I put up hard cash for a property.

I think Daniel is being nice.

The fact that your asking means you really have no idea of what your getting into. Translation....don't buy it.....your way in over your head.

Now....with that said....please stick around....all of us were in your shoes at one time....you just don't want to make the mistake some (many) of us have made by taking on more than we should.

 

[oodssoo]

Looks like moisture problem... Do you have a better choice amongst the auction properties?

 

[rebelranger]

I'm going against the grain and say go for it...BUT that hinges on some questions.

This wall is it an exterior wall or interior? Is there a bathroom or kitchen next to it? Is it a basement, 1st floor, attic level? Is it above a garage? Depending on the answers to this questions it may just be oil based stain under a coat of paint. I had this type looking stain on my attic and had mold and lead testing done (EPA requirement for foreclosures) and it turned out to just be oil based stain that got there somehow. I had to use two coats of offwhite primer and a coat of white paint to cover it.