Do You Have To Disclose Mold When Selling A House

Published on August 26th, 2022

Mold. Four small letters, one significant problem. Mold may be on homeowners' minds preparing to sell their homes, especially if they fear it will make the sale more difficult.

So, can you sell a house with mold? Yes, you can, but it is necessary to disclose mold contamination before selling houses to potential buyers.

Why Is Mold Such A Problem?

Not all mold is dangerous to your health, but certain types of mold growth are. This is not to say that mold found is always risky or life-threatening as soon as it appears, but long-term exposure can cause health problems.

We breathe in mold spores because they are airborne, which is detrimental to our respiratory system and lungs. Repeat mold exposure is more likely to cause health concerns in immunocompromised individuals, infants, and the elderly, but no one wants to live in a house with mold, even if they are healthy. Mainly since mold problems can cause your home to smell "old."

It also heavily decreases the value of the home to potential buyers.

What Causes Mold Growth?

Mold can grow from various sources and can grow anywhere there is water and oxygen. Even though mold can grow in any room of the house, there are a few typical hotspots for it and one common cause — moisture.

Wet roof

When your roof is wet, moss can grow, resulting in mold growth inside your home and causing it to spread.

Leaking pipes

Pipes sometimes leak, causing water damage and mold growth.

Roof leaks

Keep an eye on the attic; a leaking roof can cause enough moisture to encourage mold growth.

Damp crawl spaces

Mold can grow in crawl spaces near moist areas such as dirt or soil.

Bathrooms without windows

All that humidity from your hot shower can stay and cause mold, particularly if you don't have a shower fan or the ability to open the window to let that moisture out.

As you've seen, water is your number one enemy in the fight against mold, so pay close attention whenever you notice the excess moisture in your home.

Most states require sellers to convey any known defects to the home buyer in the paperwork, including whether or not the house has a history of mold and whether or not professional treatment was used to solve the mold problem.

California is an illustration of a state with stringent disclosure laws. If the homeowner is aware of the existence of mold (or water damage indicating potential mold damage) in their property, they are required to disclose this information to potential buyers.

Your real estate agent will be more knowledgeable about the disclosing mold laws in your state. Even if you are not legally required to disclose prior or present mold issues, you should be honest with the interested buyers about it. As there are serious concerns about living in a house with mold issues, the potential buyer and the concerned real estate agent should know about it before closing on the property. It's the responsible thing to do.

How Expensive Are Mold Remediation Costs

The traditional buyer wants to pay less for a house with mold because mold remediation services are costly.

The cost of mold remediation is heavily influenced by the number of areas where mold spores are seen. A mold remediation specialist will thoroughly inspect the house, including crawlspaces and ductwork. Mold remediation can range between $500 and $6,000.

When it comes to mold issues, the optimal time for sellers to address them is before putting their home on the real estate market. Mold remediation takes time, and you don't want interested buyers to equate your home with ongoing mold remediation. It's preferable if they come in after the mold problem is resolved.

If you are unsure whether your home has mold issues, you should conduct a thorough mold inspection. Examine any areas of the house where moisture has accumulated. Don't forget to look into some of the more obscure places, such as the attic, basement, and behind the water heater. Don't assume you're safe if you don't notice visible mold growth on an exterior surface. If you discover any areas of the house where major water infiltration occurred, you must ensure that no mold colonies are growing.

If you are concerned about mold issues, hire a home inspector to come out and assess the mold problem. If the home inspectors discover mold, you can devise a plan to address it. If no mold spores are found, you'll have a track of your home's clean bill of health to show the buyer's agent.

Home sellers shouldn't be afraid of mold problems. It's inconvenient, but you should be able to deal with it and sell your home without impacting the market value.