Seller Knew About Foundation Issues and Hid Them... What Can I Do?

I recently bought a house in North Carolina and found out the seller didn’t mention some serious foundation problems. The inspection was done by a friend who’s a contractor, but it only showed some visible cracks. Now I’ve got a big mess on my hands. Has anyone dealt with something similar? What are my options?

Wow, that sounds rough. Definitely consult a real estate attorney. You might have a case for nondisclosure.

thea said:
Wow, that sounds rough. Definitely consult a real estate attorney. You might have a case for nondisclosure.

Thanks for the tip! I have a consultation lined up with a litigation attorney on Thursday. Fingers crossed it helps.

I’d be careful with litigation, though. NC is a ‘buyer beware’ state, so it might be tough to win.

Bevin said:
I’d be careful with litigation, though. NC is a ‘buyer beware’ state, so it might be tough to win.

Yeah, I’ve heard that too. It feels like a gamble at this point.

Did you get a licensed inspector? Using a friend could complicate things since they might not have covered everything.

Luca said:
Did you get a licensed inspector? Using a friend could complicate things since they might not have covered everything.

Nope, just my contractor friend. I thought it would be fine, but now I’m not so sure.

Honestly, you might want to negotiate with the seller first. Sometimes they’ll help out if you bring it up.

Jin said:
Honestly, you might want to negotiate with the seller first. Sometimes they’ll help out if you bring it up.

Good idea. I haven’t thought of that yet. Maybe I’ll shoot them an email.

Also, check if you can recover legal fees if you go for it. It could save you some cash in the long run.

Zorion said:
Also, check if you can recover legal fees if you go for it. It could save you some cash in the long run.

That’s helpful to know. I’ll ask my attorney about that when I meet them.