Are Sellers Required To Disclose?

Many of the claims made against sellers today are related to disclosures that were not properly relayed to the buyers before closing.

The ttrend nationally is to require that sellers disclose known material facts. In Texas, no one is to sell a house without filling out a disclosure truthfully and accurately. We have several formats that can be used but they need to approved by TREC (Texas Real Estate Commission).

What does a seller disclose? Known material facts about the house. A material fact is one that might affect a buyer's decision to buy or the price offered. It's a good idea to discuss your disclosure obligations with your real estate agent or attorney before you put your home on the market. We are much better off if we try to reveal and disclose all we know since owning the house or before stating information was from previous owner, rather skip something we thought was not important.

Consult your agent to provide you with copies of any disclosure forms you need to complete when you list your home for sale. You need to read them; they're designed to help you recall material facts that should be disclosed.