What’s on the Pennsylvania Home Seller’s Disclosure Form?
DISCLAIMER: As a friendly reminder, this blog post is meant to be used for educational purposes only, not legal advice. If you need assistance navigating the legalities of what to include on a PA seller disclosure form, HomeLight always encourages you to reach out to your own advisor.
So, you’re getting ready to sell your Pennsylvania home, and among the many documents you’ll be signing in the process is a disclosure statement. You’re wondering exactly what sellers in your state are required to disclose (defined as “to make known” or “to expose”) to potential buyers about a house’s condition.
Do you have to mention, for example, the flooding that happened in the basement a few years back? What about the age of the water heater you purchased 11 or 12 years ago?
Or, perhaps you’ve already found a PDF form online that looks official, but you’re still not sure what it all means. You want to read in plain-speak what you are legally obligated to disclose to buyers — and if you acknowledge problems with your home, does that mean you’ll have to pour money into fixing them before you can close a sale?
We’ll explain it all — what is the Pennsylvania seller’s disclosure form, what it does and does not do, when must you complete it, what specifically do you have to disclose, and why this matters — with expert insight along the way.
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What is a seller’s disclosure?
A seller’s disclosure is a form used during the home sale process to help both the seller and the buyer. It helps a seller comply with any applicable laws requiring that they inform buyers of any known material defects and particular features of their property. On the other hand, it helps a buyer make an informed decision about whether to purchase a property in light of its condition.
Is a seller’s disclosure required in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania used to be a “buyer beware” or “caveat emptor” state — meaning that the onus was on the buyer to find out about any defects and features a property may have. However, since the passage of the Pennsylvania Real Estate Seller Disclosure Law (RESDL) in 2000, sellers in the Keystone State have shared more of the financial risk of undisclosed material defects or features of a property.
Since RESDL, almost all sellers are required to complete an extensive property condition disclosure form. We’ll break down the required disclosures below, as well as what’s at stake for sellers filling out these forms.
What does a Pennsylvania disclosure form mean for buyers?
Receiving the seller’s disclosure form helps a buyer make an informed decision about whether to purchase a property, hopefully reducing unpleasant surprises about a home’s condition down the road. Carefully reviewing the seller’s disclosure is no substitute for completing a pre-purchase inspection, however. Pennsylvania law encourages a buyer “to address concerns about the condition of the property that may not be included in this statement.” A home inspection is one of the best ways to do just that.
