6 Disclosures You Must Make When Selling Your House

Shoulda, Woulda, MUST-DO

There are a lot of tasks you should do when you're selling your house in Westlake Village or Thousand Oaks, CA.  Realistically, these 'should-do' elements are so vital to getting your home sold they feel a lot like 'must-haves'.  

I'm talking about things like partnering with the right Real Estate Agent, staging your home for Open Houses, pricing it right for the market, etc.  But did you know there is an actual Must-Do, as in mandated by California Law, that is required when selling your home? I'm talking D-I-S-C-L-O-S-U-R-E 

Disclosures

Here is a list of 6 disclosures every house seller must make prior to the close of the sale.

Death in a Home

California requires notification of a person's passing within the home if it occurred during the 3 previous years.

Neighborhood Nuisances

This can include knowledge of a dog that barks each and every night, or proximity to air flight path.

Environmental and Natural Hazards

Depending on the age of home, asbestos and lead-based paint are considerations here.  Environmental hazards can also include vulnerability to flooding, fires, landslides and or earthquakes, to name a few.

HOA Information

If a house is in a community that is governed by a Home Owners' Association, that needs to be disclosed to potential home buyers.  Ed Kaminksy, president and CEO of SportStar Relocation noted in an investopedia article, "A buyer I know purchased a condominium, [and] the seller mistakenly forgot to give the buyer the last 12 months of meeting notes.  Seven months later the buyer was assessed for $30,000 for [community] property improvements.  The seller was subsequently sued by the buyer for not disclosing these important notes."

Water Damage

Water damage that has occurred anywhere in a house, even if it has been remedied, must be disclosed.  Such damage can compromise the structure of a property and or lead to mold - it is a must-tell.

Repair History

This category might sound a bit counter-intuitive.  After all, you might be thinking, "I fixed the problem, why do I have to disclose it?"

The truth is that regardless of the size of the repair, you need to inform the would-be buyer of the issue that you addressed.  From roof leak repair to annual snaking of your sewer line for maintenance purposes, you to be disclose the history of repairs.

Anything Else?

Realistically, selling a home is a complicated matter.  It is imperative that you partner with an experienced Real Estate Agent to ensure that you have the most successful outcome possible.

Thinking of selling your home?  Contact me today - I'd love to chat about how I can be of service.

Margie Noble
Broker/Realtor
Noble Real Estate
BRE License 01859419
www.venturacountyre.com
Phone: 805.844.6257
E-mail: mnoble4re@verizon.net