Seller Disclosure
The seller disclosure is a statement made in good faith regarding the condition of the home he/she is trying to sell. There is a seller disclosure form – called “Form 17” - that is required by most states in the USA and, in it, the home seller must make it known to the home buyer any known structural defects like plumbing and electrical problems, and any history of problems with flood, sinkholes or other prior relevant damages to the property and its land.
Although deliberate misrepresentation within this statement can result in liability charges, the seller disclosure is not a substitute for a home inspection, nor warrants anything.
The contents of a seller disclosure can vary from state-to-state - sometimes from county to county! - but a typical form 17 contains information about:
- Structural, electrical and plumbing status of the house
- Title of the home and any ownership problems
- Hazards like lead paint, toxic mold, asbestos, radon etc.
- Water sources, rights and contamination
- Flood danger and previous flood damages
Most of these forms have questions for the home seller to reply to or boxes to check with “don’t know”, so it’s normal that one detail or another slips away. Plus, a lot of times you will deal with a home seller that has no “in-person” knowledge of the home. Like an investor who bought the house to flip it, so he/she doesn’t know what it “feels” like living in there and their seller disclosure might misrepresent some details of it. That’s why, like we’ve said, a home inspector is still needed to avoid nasty surprises down the road.
Real Estate Tips:
The home inspector is a must, but a good real estate agent will go through everything within the seller disclosure and will be able to point out other non-structural red flags for you too. And the place for good real estate agents is right here! Feel free to contact the one you like the most and good luck!
Popular Real Estate Terms
A public area, or plaza with a series of walkways permitting pedestrians easy access to shops, stores and restaurants. Modern malls are often enclosed enabling all weather access. Malls are ...
In land surveying, the point al which two properties intersect constituting a boundary line between the properties. A corner can be determined by either a survey or general agreement ...
Those parts of a condominium that are owned by all the unit owners. ...
A passive house is a construction that has limited to zero carbon footprint. These kinds of houses have been developed as an answer for the necessity to lower pollution for the benefit of ...
The right to demand that title be conveyed upon payment of the purchase price. ...
Right to select something or perform some act. An example is a renter of property that is given the option to buy the home at the end of the rental period or to renew the lease. Not ...
Covering on the top exterior of a window. ...
Group of investors pooling their money to purchase real estate. ...
Real property located in an excellent area for its designated objective. An example is a restaurant situated near office buildings, on the main boulevard, so it is easy to see, and has ...
Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.