Selling A House With Radon

Published on April 3rd, 2023

Radon - something no homeowner ever wants present in their home. Radon water and radon gas cause a host of health issues, including lung cancer over a long period of radon exposure. Elevated radon levels caught the eye of the environmental protection agency and federal regulators, who have made radon disclosure and radon testing part of real estate transactions.

Having radon present at your home isn't a death sentence for selling. Once test results come back to determine the radon level in your home, there are numerous ways to conduct radon mitigation to reduce the radon levels in your home. With the help of local real estate agents or other industry professionals, you will be able to successfully sell your home.

Selling any type of real estate where radon gas is present can be done and is done nearly every day around the country - but how? Throughout this article, we will discuss various methods for selling your home with radon issues, no matter the radon level, if it is over what the EPA recommends.

Selling To A Real Estate Investor That Specializes In Buying Homes With High Radon Levels

If your home has high radon levels, you can sell your home to a real estate investor specializing in buying homes That have failed a radon test. These real estate investors will go into your property and perform the proper radon mitigation by installing a radon mitigation system with an expert or a radon contractor.

Certain states have different limitations and requirements when a property has failed a radon test. Radon remediation is always needed. Mitigation systems need to be installed in accordance with local ordinances by home sellers or by an investor who is purchasing your property according to state laws.

Waiting a long period of time between receiving the test results and installing a radon mitigation system will lead to high risks for everyone staying at the property. The best thing to do is to reduce radon levels as soon as possible and then retest your home. Many contractors offer a free quote for installing a radon mitigation system.

Selling Through A Real Estate Agent

Many buyers choose to sell their homes with radon through a real estate agent. Real test results can easily be rectified by installing a proper radon mitigation system during a real estate transaction. Prospective buyers in many states are aware that radon problems can exist in most homes.

In fact, many home inspectors will check for a radon issue during the home inspection without even questioning it as standard practice. Home buyers are aware that radon can always be an issue, and their real estate agent will walk them through what to do if a home has a failed radon test.

Buyers can ask the home seller to install a radon mitigation system or take money off of their closing costs to account for the buyers having to install a radon mitigation system after the real estate transaction has ended.

Suppose your home has especially high levels of radon. In that case, selling through a real estate agent might not be the right choice for you unless you can find the right company to list it for you; speak with a listing agent in your area to see if they are equipped to deal with a radon issue. You are home or if they suggest an alternative route to selling your home.

A home with a radon problem is to sell it directly to a private home buyer. Selling directly to a private home buyer will help you avoid long periods of waiting for a real estate transaction to be completed. If you try to sell a home directly to a buyer, you do still have to be aware that state law mandates that you disclose any rate on issues that you were aware of during the home inspection process.

Elevated levels of radon can cause serious health problems and should not be ignored. Both state and federal government agencies have laws dictating what the standard and levels are acceptable for human habitation. Radon is the leading cause of lung disease in non-smokers, and buyers should be aware of this risk and be able to see a test with your home’s radon levels even if they don't hire a home inspector prior to the closing date on the property.

Selling At An Auction

Selling your home in an auction is another way to sell a property with a failed radon test or high radon levels. Again if you were to install a radon reduction system, you might be able to sell your home for a higher price once the system has been installed.

If a system installation is something that you're not interested in for your house, be aware that your home will likely sell for less, especially at an auction, because buyers are looking for things to be wrong with a home from the moment they arrive.

To test for radon on your own, there are many DIY kits that you can use for a test to determine an approximate level of radon contamination. Once you know the level of radon in your home, then you can make a conscious decision on what you want to do to reduce radon levels or sell your home as is. 

• Have a successful auction; follow the below steps.

• Hire a professional auctioneer

• Ask how the auctioneer gets paid

• Choose between an absolute auction or an auction with a reserve.

• Find out how the bidders will be qualified

• Determine how you will accept bids

• Proper marketing of your home prior to the auction.

The fifth and final option for you to sell a home with a radon issue is to sell to a company that specializes in buying houses that have radon issues. These companies will come in after purchasing your home and conduct proper radon tests, install a Radon system and then either list your home for a prophet or use it as a rental property.

For more information about selling homes with material defects, please follow along with our blog, where we will discuss every issue a home can face and how to navigate selling.