Posts Tagged ‘seattle home disclosure’

For those of you who saw the scary piece on ABC news last night about the family who bought a house that was used as a former meth lab, I have good news for you.

The State of Washington requires that if a home was know by the seller to have been used as a methamphetamine lab, the seller is required to disclose that information to any potential buyer.

This is not the case in most states, but we are lucky to be in WA. 

The story on the news last night is of a family in Tennessee.  Who bought what they thought was their dream home.  Over the next few months their children started to get sick.  It will cost them in the ball park about $100,000 when all is said and done for finding out what the problem was and to fix it. 

It is a really well done piece and worth a read.  Click below for the full report.

http://www.abcnews.go.com/m/screen?id=8188401&pid=81

Former meth labs in a house have such a destructive effect on the house and can render the house toxic to future inhabitants because of the chemicals involved that infiltrate the structure of the home.  As such, the state of WA and about 12 other states have mandated that former use as a meth lab needs to be disclosed to a potential buyer.  Why other states have not adopted a similar statute is beyond me, but my guess is they will soon.

Just so you know, the home being used as a former meth lab is the only illegal activity that a seller is required to disclose.  Murder, suicide, other drug offenses, prostitution, and any other illegal activity in a home is not disclosable because it does not effect the value of the home.  (ie. once the bad guys are gone, so is the problem)  Meth labs however allow chemicals to infiltrate the structure and can render it toxic to future owners.  As such the state of WA requires that it be disclosed.

Give me a call if you need help

—————————————————————-

Rob Graham, Accredited Buyer’s Representative

Windermere Real Estate

206-321-6349

robgraham@windermere.com

Popularity: 8% [?]