Check out this post to find out exactly what you are required to disclose when selling your Connecticut home. Also, I will walk you through HOW to disclose this information.

You can either watch the video below or read the full transcript that is just below the video!

In this video, I want to help you understand what needs to be disclosed when selling your home in Connecticut.

First, this is a Connecticut specific video.

But the concepts I talk about can be applied to a home sale in any state.

To start, residential property sales are VERY regulated in Connecticut.

These laws and regulations are in place with the intention of protecting YOU, the consumer.

After all, not everyone is an honest person.

But I know that’s not you or you wouldn’t be watching this video.

What Are You Required To Disclose?

In Connecticut, any and all residential real estate, 4 units or less are REQUIRED to provide ANY prospective buyer with a complete and accurate copy of the Connecticut Residential Property Condition Disclosure Report.

And YOU the seller need to provide this report, prior to a prospective buyer submitting an offer on your home.

So you will need to fill out this report and have it readily available for any buyer who is interested in your property before they make an offer.

If you purchased or will be purchasing one of my listing plans here on ISoldMyHouse.com then you are going to be handling the sale of your home on your own, as a For Sale By Owner or as I like to call DIY style.

Which means you won’t have an agent handling details like this for you. And you will need to make sure both buyers and buyers agents get a copy of this report.

You can download a blank copy from my website, here is a link.

How Do You Get the Disclosure Report To Buyers?

The best thing you can do when selling your home on your own is to fill out this form… correctly, and then print out a few dozen copies.

You are then going to want to staple the report together to make it presentable for a buyer.

And then put them out on the kitchen counter in one of those plastic flyer holders you can get from staples or amazon.

display connecticut disclosures

This way, any buyers who come through your property for a showing, can grab a copy and have the information readily available.

Also be sure to have an electronic version to email to buyers and agents if needed.

If you end up working directly with a buyer and they want to make an offer, GREAT!

But make sure that you give them a copy and they provide you back with the signed report with their offer.

This way they have formally acknowledged that you gave the disclosures report to them.

If a real estate buyers agent ends up bringing you a buyer.

Typically, they will ensure that their buyers provide a signed copy of the Connecticut Residential Property Conditions Disclosure report as a part of the offer they submit.

However, if they don’t, make sure you ask for it.

Because after all it is YOUR responsibility to ensure they get it to you.

Which leads me into my next point.

Or You Could Not Disclose…

What happens if you don’t give a prospective buyer a copy of the property disclosure report?

Well, just look at what it says at the top of the form.

connecticut residential property condition disclosures

It tells you right there.

“The seller will be required to credit the purchaser with the sum of $500, blah, blah, blah at closing if the seller fails to furnish this report as required by said act”.

There it is, those are your options.

1) Provide a complete and accurately filled out disclosure report.
or
2) Pay the buyer $500 at closing.

Although, there is an exception to this rule.

If you are an executor of an estate, selling residential property for the estate. Then you are not required to provide this disclosure.

OK – so we now know that we need to provide this report to buyers.

But part of your requirements as a home seller, is to fill out the report ACCURATELY.

So how do you do that?

Easy. Just be honest.

How Do You Correctly Fill Out The Disclosure Report?

Currently there are 38 questions on the report pertaining to the condition of the various components that make up your home.

You have 3 options to answer these questions. YES – NO – or UNKNOWN

Simple right?

Well, it is, but let me walk you through how to correctly answer these questions.

Let’s take a look at an example, question #8.

Are there any Plumbing system problems?

disclose plumbing problems

How do you answer this if lets say that you the seller, do not have ANY knowledge of a plumbing system problem in your home.

Everything currently works just fine for you.

However, in actuality, the pipes are seriously corroded and will need to be replaced soon.

How do you think you should answer the question on the disclosures report?

YES – NO – or UNKNOWN?

The correct answer here is NO.

Here’s why. And this is important so pay attention.

If you the seller do NOT believe that there is a problem and have NO knowledge of a problem, then it is appropriate to check NO.

HOWEVER, If you did not have ANY belief, one way or the other, basically you have no idea, then the appropriate answer would have been “UNKNOWN”.

On the flip side of that, if you had ANY knowledge of a plumbing problem, such as noticing an active leak or a qualified professional told you about repairs needed, then the appropriate answer would have been “YES”.

And then you should describe the problem’s scope in the space provided in the report.

Remember, just be honest.

What Happens If I Fill Out Incorrectly?

So what happens if you are not honest?

I’m not an attorney but I have heard them say that if a buyer purchases a home and discovers defects not disclosed on the report AND the seller had prior knowledge of the defects.

Well, that opens you the seller up for being liable for damages.

Not to mention, you just ripped someone off. And thats not cool.

The best thing you can do if you know about a problem with your home, is to either disclose the problem on the report or better yet have the problem fixed.

Leverage the Disclosures Report

Here is one last thought for you on this topic.

A property filled out form is your best form of leverage when negotiating inspection items.

Most home inspectors will discover any issues with the home and the buyers will request the sellers remedy the problem before closing.

However, if you disclosed the problem on the report AND gave the buyers the report.

Well, you have the upper hand in negotiating that particular item with them.

Just food for thought.

I hope this explains what to disclose when selling your Connecticut home and how to do it.

If you have any further questions, get in contact with us by dropping a comment below.

Or if you haven’t purchased a professional listing plan yet, head over to my purchase page to get started and be closer to selling your home and saving thousands of dollars.
 

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