What realtors disclose to new home buyers

Local realtor, John John, said the key to keeping yourself safe, as a potential buyer, seller or realtor- is to fill out and read a disclosure form.

John John said there is no law in Missouri stating a seller or realtor has to fill out a disclosure form, however, the form acts as a “protection policy.”

If everything is disclosed and the buyer of the home reads it, the seller can be protected in a potential lawsuit.

“If you disclose it and say, ‘Hey we had a leak in our basement…. We fixed it. You read it as a buyer and say, ‘okay, cool.’ Then you go and pull up the carpet and see the leak, you don’t have a leg to stand on,” said John.

As there is nothing preventing a seller from filling out the disclosure, agents will recommend you do.

John said if everything is disclosed from the beginning, all parties are protected.

One thing some people may not know is sellers don’t have to disclose just everything under Missouri law.

A few of these things are if there was a crime committed in the house, a murder, if someone died or if someone had HIV in the home.

“Not only do you not have to disclose it, if the agent discloses it without permission from the seller they can be liable in the state of Missouri for damaging the seller.”

John recommends new home buyers to hire their own inspection company to look through the home before they buy it.