Valley Pest Control: Keeping Pests at Bay and Home Sales on Track

Few things can derail a home sale faster than an unexpected pest problem.

When a home inspector discovers signs of damage days before closing, the clock starts ticking. Buyers want answers. Sellers want solutions. That’s where Valley Pest Control has built its reputation as a trusted industry partner. An affiliate member of MVAR, the company aims to respond within 24-48 hours when pest issues arise to keep sales on track.

It can be a dirty job, wriggling down in tight crawlspaces and up in musty attics, but co-owner Jeanne Smith said it is a “vitally important” part of the industry.

“We really just want to help wherever we can,” Smith said. “It is our commitment to be there, and to make sure that we provide these services. We want to keep that home sale going for you guys.”

Growing Through Relationships

Pest control isn’t a job that many people set out to find, Smith said. Rather, it finds them.

The team at Valley Pest Control has 20 years of experience. The company started about four and a half years ago, when Smith and fellow co-founder Luis Rivas decided to branch out on their own.

As they were getting started, Smith said they would sometimes walk up to five miles a day knocking on doors and hoping for someone to give them a chance. Eventually, they started making inroads with local real estate organizations, including the Polk County Association of REALTORS® and, more recently, MVAR, which has helped to fuel the company’s growth.

“We are on fire,” Smith said. “It took us a while to get our first job. The first hurdle was building trust. Now, I get phone calls every day. It’s been really helpful to develop those relationships and show them that they can count on us.”

This month, Valley Pest Control moved into a new office on Cherry Street in Salem — four times larger than their old space, Smith said. The company services the entire Willamette Valley, stretching from Portland to Eugene and Grand Ronde to Detroit.

COVID Effect

Valley Pest Control is equipped to handle just about every type of insect and vermin imaginable, from ants and spiders to termites and wood-boring beetles. But the vast majority of problems, Smith said, are caused by mice and rats.

“They can get into the HVAC system, which is the biggest concern,” Smith said. “Sometimes they can pull away the vapor barrier, which may need to be replaced. Or, they just have a lot of feces that they leave behind.”

Smith said they have seen a roughly 70% uptick of rodent situations following the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s because the widespread closure of restaurants cut off a major food source, she said, forcing them to migrate into residential neighborhoods in search of food.

“We changed their whole ecosystem by closing down restaurants,” Smith said.

MVAR Affiliate

Working with MVAR, Smith said the company springs into action quickly when inspections turn up signs of damage. In some cases, an inspector may recommend measures that may not be necessary, and simpler repairs can end up saving thousands of dollars, she said.

Other times, the situation can be more dire. Smith recalls one home that had to be treated for wood-boring beetles by removing subfloor insulation and treating every wood member throughout the crawlspace.

“Wood-boring beetles are very expensive and difficult to take care of,” Smith said, though she added that the treatment they use comes with a 30-year warranty.

As Valley Pest Control continues to grow, Smith said their focus remains being a trusted local resource for homeowners, REALTORS®, and the communities they serve.

“We’re glad to be a part of the community here, and part of the MVAR family,” she said. “We’ve been welcomed greatly, and we really do appreciate that.”

Want to learn more about Valley Pest Control? Visit their website by clicking here, call Smith at 503-881-5330, or call Rivas at 503-468-8350.