Re: Real Estate Sale Question

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 7/28/2005 11:40:42 AM Pacific Standard Time, bbw@...

writes:

What I wanted to ask people here

who have moved before, how does one find out what has to be revealed

in a real estate transaction as far as home defects? I know if you

know of a problem with house you must reveal it. However I thought I

would have to reveal current problems. I didn't know I may have to

reveal 'past' problems.

The rule is, " When in doubt, disclose. " So if you are asking is that

something I have to disclose, then the answer is automatically " yes " . It's

for

your protection. People don't get sued for defects in their homes, they get

sued for not disclosing defects in their homes.

You want to tell everything right up front. This gives the buyer an

opportunity to do their own investigations and self satisfy. But if you hold

back

on something, they buyer doesn't investigate it, but finds out later. It's

you they will come back on.

The same rule applies for your termite question. Do whatever you want and

feel is necessary to take care of the actual termites. Then when you sell the

house, simply disclose thoroughly what you have done.

A seller can never make too many disclosers to protect themselves, but they

can make too few.

I am Realtor.

Sharon

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 7/28/2005 2:35:27 PM Pacific Standard Time,

floridabound03200@... writes:

I live in southeastern PA., and when you sell a house,

a termite inspection has to be done before you go to

settlement. And if there is a problem - termites, or

termite damage is found, the owner is responsible for

the repairs.

In California, it is customary that the owner address repairs, but not

necessary. All things are negotiable in a real estate transaction. Barb,

just

disclose everything you know and get a good real estate agent to handle the

rest.

[Guest guest]

I live in southeastern PA., and when you sell a house,

a termite inspection has to be done before you go to

settlement. And if there is a problem - termites, or

termite damage is found, the owner is responsible for

the repairs. Also, you have to fill out a disclosure

sheet and list any and all problems with the house,

that you know about, no matter how many years ago the

problem may have occurred. And you also have to list

anything that you know of, that may detrimentally

affect the property, such as a new highway being built

nearby, etc. And in the township where I sold my

house, an inspector from the township actually came

out and inspected it, before settlement. If that isn't

done, the new owner is not allowed to move in. But,

on the brighter side, you could always sell the house,

hide the money, move away, and then the new owners

wouldn't be able to sue you.

Barb E.

--- barb1283 <bbw@...> wrote:

> This is a little off topic but since many people

> move from sick

> building, maybe not.

> I have termites on a door of a shed. I've had them

> there before. It

> is attached to the house but no evidence of them

> being in main part of

> home. Shed is an add on that support a porch that

> was added to rear

> of house. Used to be open space under roof, and

> then it was closed

> off to be used as a shed. House has been in family

> since 1942 so I

> know history of house.

> I paid the big price for treatment of whole house

> foundation and long

> warranty once before that cost a bundle. However

> some work on the

> foundation (for water intrusion) broke the warranty,

> so now I'm out in

> the cold again. I plan to put the house up for sale

> in a year

> (wishful thinking but...), for no reason linked to

> mold or any of

> this. House was passed down to me through family

> and it is too big

> for me so never planned on keeping it. I just got

> into repairing alot

> of thing due to this mold business and my health.

> Anyway, I called

> someone out to discuss termites and they want

> 1,500.00 to start and a

> long warranty I won't get benefit of so I was

> looking for a company to

> do the work that has a shorter warranty period.

> Person said a long

> warranty would be good for house sale since fact it

> had termites would

> have to be revealed at sale. I said if I discuss a

> termite warranty

> to prospective buyers they will just think there is

> a termite problem

> soso it would be a negative. He said no it won't

> since I have to

> reveal any problem I've had with the house for the

> last five years.

> Therefore, they are going to be concerned anyway. I

> didn't know that

> I had to reveal back to five year old problems. I'm

> not concerned

> about mold since I have never gotten bad air tests

> on house except for

> porch and porch needs renovating anyway and I may do

> it myself. Also

> it's not too surprising a screened in porch would

> have mold. I had

> visible aspergillus in basement where there was a

> foundation leak but

> that has been repaired and air tests of basement

> were okay so no

> problem there.

>

> So now I have to figure out if I need a long

> warranty or not and have

> to bite the big $$$ termite cost. What I wanted to

> ask people here

> who have moved before, how does one find out what

> has to be revealed

> in a real estate transaction as far as home defects?

> I know if you

> know of a problem with house you must reveal it.

> However I thought I

> would have to reveal current problems. I didn't

> know I may have to

> reveal 'past' problems.

>

> I feel I need to check on his statement since I've

> been lied to so

> much by sales people and actually lawyers too, that

> I don't take

> anyone's word for anything any more and figure I

> have to find out

> myself these things but don't know where to look for

> this information.

>

> Does anyone know where I would start to find this

> out. It is probably

> different from state to state I would imagine.

>

>

>

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[Guest guest]

Hi Barb,

Thanks.

I know that termite inspection will be done. Even if it were not, I would

pay for treatment now to kill termites. I wouldn't leave something like

that go on. It just depends on how long a contract I want to sign up for.

I didn't realize that I had to bring it up on sale of house. I figured if

they were gone, then why discuss the 'past'. Apparently though I have found

that I am responsible to reveal anything that has happened to the house

since I have owned it, not limited to five years. If I have been here 10

years, then any significant problem since then should be revealed fixed or

not. It's good to know ahead of time what the rules are and also how to

stay out of trouble.

BarbB

----- Original Message -----

From: " Barbara " <floridabound03200@...>

>I live in southeastern PA., and when you sell a house,

> a termite inspection has to be done before you go to

> settlement.