Reading Between the Lines of  the Seller Disclosure

An important document that can be lost in the shuffle of buying a San Diego house is the seller disclosure.  This document is going to tell the San Diego buyer everything wrong with the home that the seller is aware of.  This information can be incredibly important if there are any major problems with the house that the seller failed to mention during the showing.  

With that in mind, San Diego buyers will want to always carefully examine this document to make sure every problem is actually stated.

What Is In the Seller Disclosure?

To make the process easier a seller disclosure is not simply a blank document that the San Diego seller has to fill in themselves.  Instead, it is a questionnaire about the home that will go over all types of problems that it may have. Not many San Diego homeowners are attempting to cheat a buyer when they forget to tell them about a problem; most of the time they have simply forgotten.

The questions asked will vary but will always include items about past flooding, electrical, or plumbing problems.  All renovations and improvements to the home should be listed. It will also ask if there are any known major changes coming to the neighborhood like an addition of a new business.  

Of course, the seller disclosure also checks if there are any toxic materials that make up the home – including lead-based paint on the walls.  The foundation will be put under scrutiny. Plus, the major appliances and system conditions will be noted.

Any claims on their insurance should be listed and finally, any liens that may be attached to the house will be noted as well.

No two seller disclosures will look the same.  From area to area, the disclosure will need different items listed.  Also, every San Diego house and homeowner has cared for their home in a different way.  

Even if the homeowner does not note certain problems it may simply mean they have not found that problem yet.  This is why an inspection is a great tool for uncovering problems not known to the homeowner.

Secretive Homeowners

Even though many San Diego homeowners fill out these disclosures to their fullest extent there is no way to ensure that every homeowner is going to honestly answer every question.  There are some homeowners that may try to avoid putting down problems so they do not have the responsibility to take care of them before closing.

If a seller does intentionally lie on this document is could be trouble.  The document is not something to fill out and forget. It is a legally binding document that will be referred to by the buyer and their legal team.  A San Diego homeowner that refuses to do a seller’s disclosure or one that is dragging their feet is likely hiding a major problem,

A lack of information is worse than no information.  Many homeowners try to put little information that could be taken in multiple ways.  Most of the time this has to do with the dates of installations or renovations. This is to make appliances or the structure of the home appear newer and more sound.

Buyers Must Research Themselves

San Diego buyers cannot fully trust a homeowner to tell everything on a seller’s disclosure.  Instead, they should hire their own home inspector to make sure the information is complete. A home inspection is always recommended as it can save a buyer a lot of money if a major problem is found.

Take the disclosure and use the information to help the home inspector.  Any items that seem too good to be true or are too vague should be a focus for the inspector.  Even if the homeowner truly does not remember something or does not want to disclose a known problem the inspector will find it.

In the event a buyer finds a major problem that the homeowner knew about that was not disclosed most contracts allow the buyer to back out of the sale.  The homeowner neglecting to tell all the facts typically voids the contract.

A San Diego buyer should always look at a seller’s disclosure carefully.  Any red flags like incomplete questions or vague answers are not a good sign.  Once going over the disclosure buyers should get their own inspector to verify the information provided.  Avoiding this last step can lead a home buyer to buy a property that has too many problems to fix.