When Termites Show Up Three Days Before Closing

There’s a certain rhythm to selling a home.
The inspection’s behind you, the paperwork’s in motion, and you can almost feel the relief of handing over the keys. Then, sometimes, the rhythm stops cold.

Three days before closing on a home I was selling in Wilmington, North Carolina, I got that call no seller wants to hear: termites.

Not a small issue. Not something cosmetic. Actual, active termites.

The clock was ticking. The buyers were nervous. The closing date was set in ink. Within hours, I had to find a licensed pest company, get a treatment scheduled, and provide a termite bond — all before the deal could move forward.

There wasn’t time to debate or delay. I simply said, “Let’s get it done.”

Real estate has a way of testing whether you really mean it when you say you’re committed to doing things right. It’s easy to talk about integrity when everything’s smooth; it’s harder when it’s Friday afternoon, the deal’s on the line, and you’re signing contracts with a pest control company to save the closing.

But that’s the work.

At Ecoheirloom, we often talk about sustainability as more than just environmental. It’s about how we handle challenges in a way that builds trust and durability. Fix the problem. Be transparent. Don’t cut corners — even when no one would blame you if you did.

So that’s what I did. The remediation was completed, the bond issued, and the closing stayed on track.

Looking back, I realized that moment wasn’t just about termites. It was about ownership — not of property, but of responsibility.

Deals fall apart when people start focusing on blame instead of solutions. They hold together when people act with integrity.

Sometimes that means replacing a beam, and sometimes it means calling an exterminator at the eleventh hour. Either way, it’s the same principle: take care of what’s beneath the surface, and the structure will stand.