# Selling House and Foggy Windows



## liljohnny (Jun 17, 2013)

newRoofBlah said:


> Hi, I need some help with foggy windows. I am selling my house so I dont want to incur the cost of replacing the whole window. In this market I am hoping that people will accept it. However to make the house look attractive, I would like to see if temporarily I can defog the windows for a few days...like heating the glass.
> 
> The other solution that someone suggested me was to get the glass changed. I am not sure if this is possible with wood weathervane windows and it seems to be costly as well (not as much as new windows). Is this something that is possible?


The best and easiest/quickest way to de-fog the inside of your windows is to lower the RH in your home down to below 40%. :thumbup:


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## creeper (Mar 11, 2011)

The seal is broken on those windows and there isn't a thing you can do to fix it. There are companies like this one http://foggywindowdoctor.com/ that claim to be able to unfog them but save your money. Their process helps a tiny bit if they aren't too far gone, but it definitely won't eliminate the moisture altogether.

I think your best solution... (especially in this market...does this mean your area is enjoying a strong sellers market...ours is crazy...no inventory around at all....listings are going into multiple offers with no conditions being accepted...no financing...no inspections allowed)
....your best solution at this point is to have your Realtor address the defect right in the listing, that the price reflects that it needs windows. Otherwise at some point in the negotiation process it could come back and confuse the issue. The text could read something like this: " Excellent value for this beautiful home. New this, new that, needs a few new windows. 
Disclose it from the beginning and there won't be any surprises for anyone.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Or figure out who made the windows and see what there warranty is.
Some are even lifetime.
If you do not bite the bullet and replace them I'd bet there going to deduct far more then what it would have cost off the asking price.


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## newRoofBlah (Oct 12, 2013)

I think the windows are by Weathervane and I believe the company no longer exists and hence I cant use warranty.

Someone quoted me 2000 dollars to replace the glass (not the windows) for 5 windows. Is it something I can do and do the costs look OK? Thanks


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## MTN REMODEL LLC (Sep 11, 2010)

Don't know your window/lite sizes nor the assembly of your windows.

Sounds like reasonable price to me. (A standard 34-76 slider lite costs me $180... but I've gotten quotes up to twice that. And trip to measure and install easily adds up to $400/window.)

It's not rocket science replacing... it's just every wood window can be a little different... some are just molding strips.... some you knock completely apart and reassemble. Don't know your skill level.

Depending on your home and considering your sale circumstances, you might consider some of the mass install Vinyle windows.

If the vinyle is not an abrupt eyesore, they are inexpensive completely installed.

It's difficult, because you will not get back per se an investment in new windows, but it can be a negative to sale if fogged.

Good luck


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## Blondesense (Sep 23, 2008)

newRoofBlah said:


> *Someone* quoted me 2000 dollars to replace the glass (not the windows) for 5 windows. Is it something I can do and do the costs look OK? Thanks


I have aluminum windows and had two 20"x24" double pane done for cheap at a glass and paint store. I brought the cracked ones in, they made them to match, and I installed them myself. It's been a few years, but I'm thinking they were about 40 bucks each. 

Not a clue on yours, but it sounds like it might be worth some more research.

Edited to add: Of course I'm in Missouri. Don't know where you are.


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## IslandGuy (Jan 30, 2014)

There are 2 ways to sell a house, either totally turn-key where the prospective buyer does not *have to,* although they may want to, touch a thing. Or sell it with obvious issues that need addressing by the prospective buyer like fogged windows, missing gutters, cracked driveway, etc... As long as you price the place accordingly, let the market do what the market does. 

Based on this:


> Hi, I need some help with foggy windows. I am selling my house so *I dont want to incur the cost of replacing the whole window.* In this market I am hoping that people will accept it. However to make the house look attractive,* I would like to see if temporarily I can defog the windows for a few days...like heating the glass*.


 I can see that what you desire is to scam and defraud a prospective buyer by temporarily obscuring an obvious flaw. YOU don't want to incur the cost of repairs, but you want the buyer to assume there is no flaw, only to find out later that they need to replace some windows while you laugh all the way to the bank.

I see no reason why anyone should assist you in this endeavor.

Full disclosure would require you to tell a prospective buyer "Oh yea, see these windows, they don't normally look like this unless you spend an hour with a blow drier like I just did right before you came in... otherwise you can't see through them."


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## creeper (Mar 11, 2011)

^^^This is pretty much what it boils down to, so that's why I suggested just putting it in the listing. No surprises from start to finish.
Your Agent should argue during negotiations that the price already reflects that defect if anyone trys to lowball you.


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## Anti-wingnut (Oct 18, 2009)

If you leave the windows as is, with the defect visible, it is a point of negotiation. If you purposely try to hide a known defect which is found later and it can be proved that you knowingly tried to hide this defect (such as posting about it on the world wide web), you can be later help liable for the repair.


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## IslandGuy (Jan 30, 2014)

Anti-wingnut said:


> If you leave the windows as is, with the defect visible, it is a point of negotiation. If you purposely try to hide a known defect which is found later and it can be proved that you knowingly tried to hide this defect (such as posting about it on the world wide web), you can be later help liable for the repair.


This is a moral issue not a legal one. Though what you point out is true, what's going on here is someone is looking for advice on how to defraud a prospective buyer. It might as well read "how can I temporarily un-cup my aged asphalt shingles?" 

Instead it's "I have old crappy defective windows and I want to make them look pretty, at least temporarily."

Please.


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## MTN REMODEL LLC (Sep 11, 2010)

He11..... a good offense is better than any defense....*

Advertise your home as "custom impressionistic tranlucently obscure privacy glass" that miraculously changes with the season and weather.

* excepting the superbowl

Best


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## creeper (Mar 11, 2011)

IslandGuy said:


> This is a moral issue not a legal one. Though what you point out is true, what's going on here is someone is looking for advice on how to defraud a prospective buyer. It might as well read "how can I temporarily un-cup my aged asphalt shingles?"
> 
> Instead it's "I have old crappy defective windows and I want to make them look pretty, at least temporarily."
> 
> Please.


 Its true. ^^^ Foggy windows are typically known as a Patent defect. (A defect which is visibly noticeable upon inspection). In which case the point to negotiate such a matter is with the original offer. The windows would just be a case of "Buyer Beware"

But the op is wishing to turn it into a Latent defect (invisible) 
So if it was even possible to hide this, the process would have to be performed for all 1 showings. 2 Then again for inspection. 3 Maybe the bank is going to send round an Appraiser. 4&5 We always ask for an extra visit or two a few months later, just before closing.

That would turn into a huge effort. Not to mention all the times the neighbours would see this process and maybe be used as witnesses. 

Best in the end for to be able to sleep. Buy the windows to make the place more sellable or take the price off the from the beginning and just dig your heels in.


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