Is It Legal to Sell a House with Mold?
You likely have many questions if you’re preparing to sell an old home with active mold or mildew issues. You may be wondering about the legality of real estate sales with fungi-infested properties, how mold devalues your home, and if it’s necessary to disclose past problems.
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It’s essential to research state guidelines that outline the legal way to continue with these property sales. Below, we’ll cover some fundamental questions that come to mind when you’re preparing to sell a home with mold problems.
Selling a House With Mold Problems
You may be surprised to know that selling a house with fungi-including toxic black mold is legal. There aren’t any legal restrictions barring this. However, the legal restrictions matter when disclosing present or past fungus issues to a potential buyer. We’ll cover more of that information below.
Selling houses with mold issues is a bit complicated to navigate but relatively common. Cash buyers purchase homes as they are. If and when a seller accepts the buyer’s offer in cash, that means the seller is free of any responsibility regarding any defects in the property, including the mold present.
Now, suppose the seller deliberately hid any presence of fungus or mildew from the real estate investor before accepting their cash offer. In that case, the buyers could initiate a lawsuit based on intentional non-disclosure. That is regardless of any paperwork signed between the homeowner and investor.
Read more: Is it dangerous to live in a house with mold?
How Much Does Mold Affect Home Value?
Mold on the exterior of your property, such as siding, won’t have a substantial negative impact on the market value of your property. It also won’t be too much of a health or safety concern. Mold remediation is done to have an interior spore count that matches your exterior spore count.
This means that spores outside your home won’t be much of a health concern, but it will affect your home’s appearance, which always lessens its market value.
Interior spores, however, are a different story. If you see dark patches in small, condensed areas like a shower with regular moisture, that does not affect the value. Neither would mildew in a bathroom affect much either.
When you see the growth of fungi on walls, floors, or ceilings in areas of the home that should be otherwise dry, this indicates a larger fungal growth problem. This is when remediation would be absolutely necessary. These services can be quite expensive. Plus, anytime professional mold remediation is executed, you’ll need to disclose this in any purchasing paperwork based on state guidelines.
Read more: Can mold be entirely removed from a house?
Do You Need to Disclose Mold When Selling a House?
In many states, it is a requirement for sellers to disclose any known defects of the home to the buyers in paperwork. Including the history of mold and whether or not it has been professionally handled.
It’s best to check with your agent about the state’s requirements surrounding fungi disclosure to follow the rules in your area.
Check real estate disclosure forms for phrases such as “are you aware of mold testing on the property?” or “are you aware of fungi or mildew issues that have or are affecting the property?”
Read more: how to get rid of black mold naturally
When selling a house, it’s best to put yourself in the buyer’s shoes and think about how you would feel if someone tried to hide fungi issues and how that would affect your decision to purchase the home. Living in a home with mold is be a serious concern. You should disclose that information if you believe it would change your mind about following through with a purchase.
Read more: Types of house mold
Conclusion
If you need mold remediation services, don’t wait to have it handled by professionals. All Dry USA covers various damage restoration and repair services, including mold remediation. With our services, you can quickly get your mold under control and your house on the market. Call us at (866) 714-9234 to book an appointment today!
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With Ben’s knowledge, and visionary leadership, All Dry USA has expanded into a national, full-service property damage restoration company with multiple locations across the United States. Ben holds numerous specialty licenses and certifications in restoration and construction.
