What a WDI Report Is, and How to Keep It From Delaying Your Closing

A Wood Destroying Insect report, usually just called a WDI report, is one of those documents that can either move quietly through a real estate file or become the reason a closing gets pushed back a week. The difference usually comes down to timing, access, and whether the report is on the form the lender's underwriter is actually expecting to see.

What a WDI Report Actually Covers

A WDI inspection is a visual examination of a property's accessible areas, the crawl space, the foundation, sill plates, and other spots where wood meets soil or sits close to moisture, looking for evidence of termites and other wood destroying insects. The report documents what the inspector found, notes any prior treatment or damage that's visible, and flags conditions like excess moisture or wood-to-soil contact that could invite a problem later even if nothing is active right now. It's a snapshot of the structure on the day of the inspection, not a guarantee about what happens after.

Why the NMPA-33 Form Is the One the File Expects

Lenders and underwriters don't want to interpret a custom report format on every file that crosses their desk. The NMPA-33 form is the industry-standard layout for WDI reports, built specifically so lenders across different states can review it the same way every time. When a report comes in on that form, there's nothing for an underwriter to question about its structure, which is exactly what keeps a file moving instead of sitting in a queue while someone asks for clarification or a second inspection.

What Happens When a Report Finds Something

Finding evidence on a WDI report doesn't automatically sink a deal. It usually just adds a step: the buyer, seller, and lender need to agree on how the finding gets handled before closing, whether that's a completed treatment, a negotiated repair credit, or documentation that a prior treatment already addressed it. What actually causes trouble is when that conversation starts late, with only a few days left before the closing date, instead of as soon as the report comes back. A finding handled early is a line item. A finding handled late is a delay.

Where These Reports Usually Cause Delays

Most of the delay problems with WDI reports trace back to a handful of avoidable issues.

• The inspection gets ordered the week before closing instead of early enough to leave room for any required treatment
• The inspector can't get full access to the crawl space or foundation because of locked areas, stored items, or a pet blocking the hatch
• The report comes back on a format the lender's file reviewer doesn't recognize, prompting a request for a redo
• A treatment gets recommended but isn't completed or documented before the closing date arrives

Keeping the Report From Becoming the Holdup

Ordering the inspection as early as possible in the transaction gives everyone room to act on whatever the report finds, instead of discovering a problem days before closing. Confirming ahead of time that the crawl space, foundation, and any other inspection points are actually accessible saves a wasted trip and a delay in getting the report back. If a lender or loan program has a specific form requirement, saying so upfront means the inspection gets done on the right form the first time, on NMPA-33, rather than after a request to redo it.

Who Actually Orders the Inspection

The party responsible for ordering the WDI report varies by loan type and by what the purchase agreement specifies, and it's worth confirming early rather than assuming. On a VA loan, a pest inspection is typically expected as part of the file, and getting clarity on who is arranging it, the agent, the buyer, or the lender's processor, before the option period is running out avoids a last-minute scramble to find an inspector with an open slot. The same logic applies to conventional and FHA files where a report is being requested as an extra precaution rather than a hard loan requirement: the earlier it's on someone's calendar, the less it competes with every other moving piece near closing.

Local Experience With Local File Requirements

Bentson Pest Management has been providing WDI reports on the NMPA-33 form for the real estate market across Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota for more than 40 years, including inspections tied to VA loan files, which carry their own specific pest inspection requirements. A free seminar is also offered to local financial and real estate professionals who want a clearer sense of what a WDI report covers and how to keep it from slowing down a file. To schedule an inspection or reserve a seminar spot, call 877-276-2769, or reach the Sioux City office directly at 712-276-2769.