The house looks perfect. Fresh paint, new floors, a big backyard with a live oak shading the patio. The offer gets accepted, the option period starts, and the buyer books a home inspection. What a lot of first-time buyers don't realize is that termite control in Fort Worth runs on its own track, with its own inspector, its own state form, and its own fine print.

Knowing how that track works can save you a lot of regret after closing.

Two inspections, two agencies

In Texas, general home inspections fall under the Texas Real Estate Commission. A termite inspection for a home sale is handled by a different agency entirely, the Structural Pest Control Service at the Texas Department of Agriculture. The inspector has to be licensed for termites and other wood destroying insects, and the findings go on an official state form called the Texas Official Wood Destroying Insect Report, or WDIR.

Here's what catches people off guard. A TREC home inspector working under that license alone isn't allowed to say whether termites caused the damage they find. They can note the rotted sill plate. They can't name the culprit. Some inspectors hold both licenses, but if yours doesn't, you need the separate termite inspection.

Some lenders require one anyway. VA loans, for example, typically call for a wood destroying insect report in Texas. And even when it's optional, it's a cheap way to lower the risk on what's probably the biggest thing you'll ever buy.

Watch the clock, too. Option periods in Texas are often short, sometimes a week or ten days, so book the termite inspection the day the contract is signed. That leaves time for a second opinion or a treatment quote if the report comes back with findings.

What a clean report really means

The WDIR records whether termites or other wood destroying insects are visibly present. It also flags the conditions that invite them, like wood touching soil, moisture problems, or scrap lumber under or around the house.

Now the fine print. The form itself says it isn't a structural damage report and isn't a warranty that the house is free of these insects. Termites work out of sight, inside walls and under floors, and the state's own rules admit that hidden infestations and damage can be missed. A clean report means nothing visible turned up. Useful? Absolutely. A promise? No.

Get the paperwork

Before the option period runs out, ask the seller for the termite history. Was the house ever treated? When, by whom, and for which kind of termite? Is there a termite contract or warranty still in effect (people often call it a termite bond), and will it transfer?

The WDIR has spaces showing whether the inspecting company has treated the house or holds a current contract on it, but ask for the actual service agreement anyway. Transfer terms are all over the map. Some warranties pass to the new owner for a small fee. Others end at closing. A few cover repairs, while most only cover retreatment.

Read conducive conditions as a to-do list

Fort Worth's clay soil swells when it's wet and shrinks when it dries. Older homes on tree-lined streets in places like Arlington Heights or Ryan Place often have flowerbeds built up against the slab, firewood by the garage, or sprinklers soaking the foundation, and every one of those gives subterranean termites an easier route in.

If the report lists conducive conditions, make them your first-month punch list. Pull the mulch back from the foundation. Fix the dripping faucet and the AC condensate line that's been puddling by the slab. Get the wood off the ground. They're cheap fixes with a real payoff.

But subterranean termites aren't the whole story. Drywood termites live inside the wood itself instead of the soil, and while they're less common around here, they do show up, especially in older homes and in antique furniture or trim brought in from somewhere else. Little piles of dry, pellet-like droppings under a window frame or baseboard are the giveaway. If the inspector mentions droppings like that, ask which species they suspect, because the treatment is completely different.

When the report finds termites

Active termites found during the option period give a buyer leverage. Under Texas rules, a home-sale WDIR recommends treatment when there's visible evidence of an active infestation, or evidence of an old one with no sign it was ever treated. From there you can negotiate for treatment before closing, a lower price, or a repair credit. If the damage looks serious, get a structural engineer or a contractor out there before you decide anything.

After closing

Plan on a yearly termite inspection, especially if no warranty came with the house. Subterranean termites are the main threat in North Texas, and the spring swarm is often the first sign anyone notices. It helps to know what your termite control options look like before you need them.

Buy with your eyes open

Termite control in Fort Worth starts before closing, with the right inspection and the right questions. One Stop Termite & Pest Control has served Fort Worth and the Dallas-Fort Worth area since 2002, offering free termite inspections and treatment for subterranean, drywood, and dampwood termites. For a buyer, that's a second set of eyes on the property and a plan if something turns up. Ask your questions during the option period, because once you close, the repair bills are yours.

One Stop Termite & Pest Control is a family-owned company based in Pantego, Texas. Since 2002, it has provided termite inspections, termite control, and general pest services across Fort Worth, Arlington, and the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Visit onestoppest.com for more information.