When you’re ready to put your home on the market, it can be tempting to make it seem a little bit better than it is to get the best selling price. However, while it may not be necessary to disclose every little issue, there are some big defects that, by law, must be disclosed or you could face a lawsuit. That’s why Phil and the entire team at ProTech Home & Property Inspections recommends getting a pre-listing home inspection before listing your home. This way, you’ll be sure to identify any major issues and keep everything above board for your potential buyers. Below, we’ve listed three major issues that you must disclose when listing your home.
1. Termite Damage
Home lenders take termite damage very seriously. In fact, many will refuse to loan money until the house has been treated and any damage has been repaired. Therefore, if your house had termite damage in the past and you had the house treated, you must disclose that information and show your receipts to potential buyers. Likewise, you should never try to conceal fresh termite damage. Many home buyers will get a separate termite inspection, so if there is damage, they will find it and you could be liable for nondisclosure.
2. Remodeling Without a Permit
Most communities have permit regulations, and if you remodeled your home without one, it’s understandable that you’d want to hide that. However, while you might think no one will notice, chances are that someone will. Your local building authority reports construction changes to the county Register of Deeds, so you could get caught when someone notices that your home’s existing configuration does not match the description on record. You could also be sued later if the remodeling was not up to building code. To be on the safe side, disclose it now.
3. Water Damage
Water damage, like termite damage, is a big deal as it can lead to mold which will send a potential buyer running. However, by failing to disclose, you risk losing your buyer when they have their own home inspection done and water damage is found. Therefore, while it’s not a federal law, in most states it’s illegal to lie about your knowledge of water damage.
The best way to sell your home quickly is to get a pre-listing inspection and fix any issues before listing your home. With help from ProTech, you can present your home to potential buyers with a clean bill of health and avoid complicating the escrow process. Contact us at (470) 592-8828 to schedule an inspection in Georgia today.
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