Over the course of nearly thirty years of selling real estate in LA County, I have come across a variety of clientele. Most of my clients are lovely, and many have joined my circle of friends. When it comes to real estate disclosures home sellers differ—my advice: when in doubt, disclose.
Recently I had Glendale home sellers who lived in their home for forty-plus years. They were so concerned that the buyer knew there would be discoloration once the pictures were removed from the wood-paneled den. We noted it on the real estate transfer disclosure. And then again, at the final walk-through, they removed several family pictures to show the buyer.
On the other hand, I represented a home seller with very little water pressure, not even enough to shower comfortably. When asked about defects to the home on his disclosures, it was never mentioned or noted. It didn’t come out until the buyer’s inspection.
Of course, homeowners don’t know every little defect of their home. But when you live in a home, you have a basic knowledge of things that aren’t working properly. The first home I owned was in Northwest Glendale. The electrical was outdated; I couldn’t blow dry my hair and make coffee simultaneously. If I did, it blew the circuit breaker, which was a big nuisance.
As with most aspects of life, honesty is the best policy, so when in doubt, disclose. The real estate disclosures in any escrow are critically important. Completing them is often daunting. This is why Harb and Co. handle our disclosures with our clients. We don’t outsource to a transaction coordinator (TC). In the event of an issue after closing, I first refer to the disclosures and then the buyer’s inspection reports.
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