Sellers must complete a Transfer Disclosure Statement (TDS), in which they disclose known defects and other pertinent information about the property. Failure to disclose these material facts can lead to legal liability.
Sellers may be required to disclose a list of all of the major repairs made in various areas of the property. Buyers will want to know of any past problems. They'll want to know if an issue's been fixed and how it was fixed, if it requires ongoing maintenance or if it has the potential to cause problems in the future.
The state does not require disclosure of any deaths, including murders or suicide. Do you have to report a death in your home while selling real estate in Washington? Washington state does not require disclosure of death on a property.
Washington State requires sellers of residential real property to thoroughly disclose material facts on a form called the Residential Real Property Disclosure Statement (often referred to as Form 17).
It is a general rule that sellers must disclose any information that could negatively impact the value of the property.
While sellers have always been required to disclose material facts, the Form 17 has been required by law (RCW 64.06. 020) since January 1, 1995. It has undergone ten revisions since its inception, the last of which went into effect in 2021.
Sellers must fill out either an unimproved or improved residential real estate disclosure form, which covers various topics about the property's condition. This comprehensive form asks about the state of the home's electrical, plumbing, heating and other systems.
Based on the premise that a specific non-disclosure could impact the value of and the decision to buy a property, mentioning all such relevant disclosures is mandatory. For example, failure to disclose real estate pest infestation in the past in the area where the property is located.
It is prepared by the seller's solicitors.
Who Must Make These Seller Disclosures in California. As a broad rule, all sellers of residential real estate property containing one to four units in California must complete and provide written disclosures to the prospective buyers.