Every fall, when the nights in Spokane and North Idaho turn cold, mice start looking for a warm place to spend the winter. A lot of them find it in our garages, crawl spaces, attics and basements. If you’re getting ready to sell and you’ve found droppings in the pantry or heard scratching in the walls, you’re not alone, and you have more options than you might think.
This guide walks through what mice can do to a house, how to deal with them, what you may need to tell a buyer, and when it makes more sense to sell the house as-is.
Why mice are such a common problem in Inland Northwest homes
Our climate is a big part of it. Long, cold winters push rodents indoors, and many homes around Spokane, Coeur d’Alene and the Tri-Cities have features that make it easy for them to get in:
- Older foundations and basements. A lot of Spokane-area homes are many decades old, and small gaps around old foundations, pipes and window wells are easy entry points.
- Crawl spaces. Unsealed vents and torn vapor barriers give mice a quiet place to nest.
- Rural and wooded lots. Homes near fields, timber or water in Kootenai County and outlying Spokane County see more deer mice, voles and pack rats.
- Garages and sheds. Bird seed, pet food and stored boxes are an open invitation.
Mice aren’t the only visitors. Inland Northwest homeowners also deal with carpenter ants, wasps in the eaves, bats in attics and the occasional squirrel. The approach below works for most of them.
What mice can do to a house
A few mice in the garage is a nuisance. A long-term infestation can turn into real damage that a buyer’s inspector will find:
- Chewed electrical wiring, which can be a fire risk
- Damaged insulation in attics and walls
- Gnawed drywall, wood trim and ductwork
- Droppings and urine odor that soak into insulation, subfloors and cabinets
- Nests in furnaces, water heater closets and appliances
There’s also a health side. Deer mice, which are common in our region, can carry hantavirus. The CDC’s hantavirus guidance explains how to clean up safely: don’t sweep or vacuum droppings, wet them down with disinfectant first, and wear gloves. If the problem is large, it’s worth letting a professional handle it.
Option 1: Handle a small problem yourself
If you’ve only seen a few signs, a weekend of work can often fix it:
- Find the entry points. Walk the outside of the house and look for gaps around pipes, vents, garage doors and the foundation. Mice can squeeze through very small openings.
- Seal them. Steel wool, metal mesh and exterior caulk work better than foam alone, which mice can chew through.
- Remove food and nesting spots. Store pet food and seed in sealed bins and clear clutter from the garage and basement.
- Set traps. Snap traps along walls are simple and effective. Check them daily.
- Clean up safely. Follow the CDC steps above for droppings and nests.
Option 2: Hire a pest control company
If the signs keep coming back, or you’ve found nests in the attic or walls, a licensed pest control company is the next step. A good one will inspect, seal entry points, set a treatment plan and come back to check. Ask whether their price includes exclusion work (sealing the house) and any follow-up visits.
Keep in mind that pest control stops the mice, but it doesn’t fix the damage they already caused. Chewed wiring, ruined insulation and odor in the subfloor can mean an electrician, an insulation contractor and some cleanup on top of the pest bill.
Do you have to disclose mice when you sell?
In most home sales in both Washington and Idaho, the seller fills out a disclosure form about the condition of the property. Washington uses a statement commonly called Form 17, and Idaho has its own property condition disclosure. Both ask about known problems with the home, and a pest infestation or the damage it caused can fall under that.
The general rule is simple: if you know about a problem, say so. Hiding a known infestation can cause trouble after closing. Exactly how to answer each question depends on your situation, so check with your agent, title company or a real estate attorney if you’re not sure.
Disclosing doesn’t have to sink your sale. Being upfront, and showing receipts for any pest control work, usually goes over better with buyers than a surprise in the inspection report.
Option 3: Sell the house as-is
Sometimes the mice are just the last straw. Maybe the house was a rental, or it belonged to a parent and sat empty for a while, or the infestation is part of a longer list of repairs you don’t have the time or money to take on. In that case, selling as-is can be the simplest path.
When you sell to Backyard Home Buyers:
- We buy the house as-is. You don’t have to trap, clean, seal or repair anything.
- There are no fees or commissions, and we pay the closing costs.
- You usually get a fair cash offer within 24 hours.
- We can close in as little as 7 days, or on the date that works for you.
We’re a local, family-owned company. Both owners were born and raised in the Inland Northwest, and since 2019 we’ve done over 500 deals, including plenty that had a few uninvited guests. We buy in Spokane, Coeur d’Alene and the Tri-Cities.
Which option is right for you?
If the problem is small and the rest of the house is in good shape, a weekend of sealing and trapping, plus a pest control visit if needed, may be all it takes before you list. If the damage is spread through the attic, walls or crawl space, or you simply want to be done, compare the cost and time of repairs against an as-is offer.
You can see how our process works or send us a few details about the house. Prefer to talk it through? Call us at (509) 461-9079. There’s no cost and no obligation.