Property Disclosures Statements

Yes – you must disclose.
When the time comes to sell your Atlanta home, you will be asked to fill out a disclosure statement that will list “material facts” about problems you are aware of regarding the condition and history of your home. Both federal and state laws govern what must be disclosed during a property sale and as the homeowner you must be the person to complete these disclosure forms. By law your Atlanta real estate agent cannot complete these forms for you.

Sometimes, homeowners are told varying policies regarding disclosures. The general rule of thumb is that you must disclose anything that would:

• lower the perceived value of the property
• affect the buyer’s decision to purchase
• change the price and/or terms the buyer offers

Common disclosures include information about any natural hazards, fire hazards, pollution problems or zoning changes that affect you property. If you feel like you don’t properly understand the disclosure requirements, you should consult a real estate attorney who knows the local disclosure laws.

As you fill out these forms just remember, you should strive to answer all of the questions to the best of your ability. Don’t sweat the small stuff, but make sure you disclose everything that you’d want disclosed to you if you were the home buyer. If you don’t know the answer to a question (such as exact age of the roof if you’re not the original owner or the like), answer “Do Not Know.” But not having precise facts about defects you know exist does not permit you to answer “Do Not Know” to every question. This will always raise a red flag.

“Don’t sweat the small stuff, but make sure you disclose everything that you’d want disclosed to you if you were the buyer.”

Home selling tips provided by Intown Atlanta Real Estate