What to know in the post-Hurricane Harvey housing market

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The Houston Association of Realtors says the number one mistake when searching for a home, is being too polite or shy and not asking enough questions.

That advice, says realtor Ed Wolff, is especially important in a post Hurricane Harvey housing market.

Whether you're looking to buy or rent, he says you should ask if the home was re-mediated properly.

"How did you remove all of the things that got wet? What did you do at the point of flood? How quickly did the things come out of the house? And what did you do before you put the walls back together to ensure that mold would not grow?" Wolff said.

He says you want to make sure anything that was flooded was removed, that includes sheet rock and insulation at least two feet above the water line, appliances, and most flooring like carpets and hardwoods and your lower cabinets.

"There are several people out there that are trying to keep their cabinets, you really shouldn't keep your cabinets. They got water, the water penetrated and stayed on the property long enough that those cabinets needed to come out."

Don't be shy when it comes to asking for proof.

Wolff says you can request a seller's disclosure form, receipts for work done, receipts for anti-microbial spray and an elevation certificate.

"An elevation certificate is specific to that residence and it tells you exactly how high that residence is above the base flood elevation, what FEMA says is the most likely level of flooding in a 100 year or a one percent storm event."

Contractor Bill Fuller advises to pay close attention to electrical work, ask if any outlet plugs that were below water were completely replaced.

He says water could get trapped inside the outlet box.

"It will create a corrosion in there which eventually will cause a short, which could cause a fire," Fuller said.

If you are still concerned, Wolff says you can ask for a mold test or moisture test.