I'm selling my own home and as a new agent this is my first sale. My septic system didn't pass inspection, but I have had no problems with it. I've learned (through acquaintances) that the buyers want to install an inground pool and would like the leeching fields removed for this reason. They are insisting that I hook up to the sewer system before buying the home. This will cost an extra $10,000 given that I'm set back from the road.

I have had no problems with my septic system. I get it cleaned regularly. I'll have another inspection tomorrow which I'll pay for, but am wondering how can this happen?

I questioned the septic inspection firm as to whether the unusually cold weather was taken into account. They said yes. I also have not seen the printed report yet and don't know what methods they used to decide that the septic system was failing. Are there different methods that inspectors use?

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks so much.

Gail,
If the septic system passes I would see no reason for you to remove the leech field. The fact that the buyer wants to put in an inground pool is not your problem. Since this is your house you need to step back and put your agent hat on and think as the listing agent.
If there have been other buyers with some interest in your home you may want to see what that brings. Get a copy of the report.
If the system fails get a price on a replacement system and compare it to the cost of sewer hookup. If the septic is cheaper then ask the buyers to pay the difference between the new septic and the sewer.
Good Luck

It's difficult to answer about why the septic system didn't "pass inspection." Usually it has to do with age-related problems. But we would need more information from the septic system report about the problems the company is reporting.

Unfortunately, as in every industry, not all septic system companies are the same, nor do they work under the same standards. While it is not necessary to upgrade anything old to modern standards, many septic companies will look at an old 500-gallon septic tank for a 3 BR/2 BA house and say that it needs to be replaced while in actuality it does not. What the company is doing is looking at modern trends of housing several "families" in the same house which can overload the old 500-gallon system. They want to limit their liability since they don't know how many people might be moving into the house. Therefore they'll say that the 500-gallon system needs to be replaced with a 1,000-gallon system. Again, though, since we don't know the specific problems, we can't say. If they are saying "Replace 500-gallon with 1,000-gallon" then they are just trying to limit their liability.

Many older tanks are concrete. Concrete deteriorates under constant attack from moisture and effluents in the sewage. So even the fact that you have it cleaned regularly (and we don't know what "regularly" is--monthly? annually? every two years? you really don't know?) (and we also don't know what "cleaned" means--simply pumped out? pumped out and inspected?), it simply might have failed between the last cleaning and this inspection. At some point everything fails, regardless of how well you have taken care of it. Think the human body. This might be that point.

You also say that you have had no problems with it, but we don't know the size of the system or the size of your family that has been using the system. If only one person has been living in a 3 BR/2BA home, then it's entirely plausible that there have been no problems. However, the septic companies usually ask how many people have been living in the home and for how long. Then they evaluate the system accordingly. Is the tank full with just one person and having been "cleaned" a year ago? Hmmm, possible problems. Is the tank empty with a family of five? Great system or it recently was pumped.

There's just so many variables.

Many people want to be on the public sewer system because they believe there are fewer problems. That comes from early septic systems that actually did have a lot of problems because people did not know how to take care of the system. In today's world, taking care of septic systems can be quite easy.

If the prospective buyers simply want a swimming pool, well it might be time to say, "Next in line."

I hope you can come back with some more specific problems noted in the report.

Hi Paul and Russel,

Thanks for your responses. I paid $250 for my own inspection by a company that only deals with septic systems and doesn't install sewer systems. They recommended connecting to the sewer! They said my septic tank was 75% full.

I spoke to the owner of the company that did the first inspection and he said that to pass their test they run the water in the house for 20 minutes. If the tank doesn't fill up then it passes. My water ran for 4 minutes and then the septic tank overflowed.

Both inspectors believe the leaching fields are failing. The system is over 50 years old. I have the tanks cleaned out once a year and use some expensive enzymes that I pour down the toilet once a month, but I guess that wasn't enough to stave off the failure of the system.

The buyer really wants the house and has agreed to forgo asking me to repair or credit anything else as long as I credit him for the sewer hookup.

What's the best way to determine how much credit to offer him? I've gotten two quotes: $5,900 (someone who will do it on weekends, works full-time for one of the sewer connection companies) and $7,500 from a sewer connection company.

If it were me (and this is non-HI advice) I would keep my quotes in my hip pocket and either offer him X dollars or ask him what he wants as a credit and negotiate from there.

It does sound like the leach fields are failing.

I would get a third quote and offer him the middle one. I think that would make things move faster for you. Just like the Olympics--drop the high and low and take the middle.

However, make sure that any quotes include appropriate warranties/guarantees, in writing, on company letterhead, signed, dated, sealed, and delivered.

I spoke to my real estate attorney and will meet with him tomorrow morning. He said he'll take it from here and negotiate with the other party.

i thought lol... not to sound retarted but i though it was just a flush u had to do..and if something sounds bad or u got a leak in the process of the flush.and checkin the pipes down below (if theres a basement)..is it more than just giving a flush???

Yes, much more.

The septic system includes the components in your house (toilet, sinks, etc.) which drain to a large tank outside. The septic tank itself typically is a large concrete enclosure. It holds various waste products which react with the concrete, eventually deteriorating it to the point that it no longer holds what it was meant to hold.

And there is a "leach field" where liquid wastes flow from the septic tank. Sometimes the leach field fails from old age, gets clogged by tree roots, or is damaged by someone digging a hole for a new tree, to build a detached granny shack, or similar circumstances.

You don't want to wait until the flush doesn't flush anymore before taking action. Preventive maintenance is much better than reactive maintenance.

Don't cave into these buyers wanting you to hook up to the sewer. Since you know that there is something wrong with the tank, negotiate a fair price off the purchase price. Don't pay for the whole thing. If they want it bad enough they will pitch in. However, if they walk away you have to disclose to all new buyers that your tank is full and the whole system is outdated and in poor condition.

As a septic company, I do find it interesting how the other side thinks. We do a great number of inspections for agents in our area. Septics are so simple and straight forward. It may be a good idea for agents in areas that use septic systems to brush up on how they work so they can be informed when the time comes to have a system inspected.