Texas requires the sellers of a house to report known issues with the home\u2019s condition in compliance with state statutes<\/a>. While the first portions of the disclosure form are straightforward, sellers may get stuck in the weeds midway through, which can cause undue stress and information overload.<\/p>\n You don\u2019t need to \u201covershare,\u201d explains 5-star-rated<\/a> real estate brokerage owner\/agent Hillary Smith<\/a> of Austin. She advises working with your Realtor\u00ae to complete the form accurately and with the right balance of information. \u201cIn some cases, you don\u2019t have to over disclose if it\u2019s not legally required,\u201d Smith says.<\/p>\n A seller\u2019s disclosure is a legal document requiring a home\u2019s seller to share any known defects in or on the property. This document will also assess key features the buyer should be aware of in Texas, including whether the property is located in a flood zone \u2014 critical knowledge, especially during severe thunderstorms and hurricane season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n HomeLight\u2019s free Agent Match platform can connect you with a top-performing agent in your market who can help you navigate your entire home-selling journey \u2014 from disclosures to closing.<\/p>\n \n While not every state<\/a> requires a formal disclosure form, Texas is one state that does. It\u2019s referred to as the \u201cSeller\u2019s Disclosure Notice.\u201d The purpose of this form is to provide buyers with crucial information about the property they are purchasing. A disclosure form is required to sell every \u201cpreviously occupied single-family residence\u201d in the state.<\/p>\n There are two legally acceptable disclosure notice forms sellers can choose from in Texas. One is approved by the Texas Real Estate Commission<\/a> (TREC); the other is from the Texas Association of Realtors<\/a> and is available to members of the organization.<\/p>\n Smith prefers the latter form when working with clients, citing readability as one bonus. This form is also more comprehensive than the TREC version, including more fields to provide information about current property features and utilities for the home\u2019s new owners.<\/p>\n Buyers will want to pay close attention to the contents of their property\u2019s disclosure form, but it isn\u2019t an end-all, be-all guarantee to the condition of the home, warns Smith. She advises that a buyer may need to do more due diligence in inspecting the property closely because \u201cthe seller doesn\u2019t always know the answers.\u201d<\/p>\n A seller\u2019s disclosure notice does not ensure the condition of a property \u2014 it merely tells you what the seller knows about its condition. To this end, from a buyer\u2019s perspective, you\u2019ll want to hire a home inspector<\/a> who is thorough, licensed, knowledgeable, and trustworthy.<\/p>\n From a seller\u2019s perspective, the disclosure form may compel you to share information about the property, but it does not obligate you to fix any stated issues. You\u2019ll use this document to convey the property\u2019s history while it has been in your possession.<\/p>\n Here again, don\u2019t feel the need to \u201covershare,\u201d Smith warns \u2014 stick to what\u2019s on the form and what you\u2019ve experienced first-hand. There is no need to share tales from previous owners if they do not relate to the information listed on the form.<\/p>\n The disclosure also does not act as a warranty on the home\u2019s condition. Instead, it is a legal document that assesses the seller\u2019s knowledge of the property and passes along any crucial information to the prospective new owners.<\/p>\n The disclosure form must be submitted in Texas either before \u2014 or on the same date as \u2014 the purchase contract<\/a> goes into effect. Sellers who supply this form late give prospective buyers an easy out \u2014 failing to return the form on time offers buyers the chance to \u201cterminate the contract for any reason,\u201d according to Texas Realtors\u00ae<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Most every state has home seller disclosure laws. Find out what\u2019s required on the Texas seller’s disclosure form and how to protect yourself.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":339,"featured_media":51151,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[243,319,1223],"tags":[1224],"class_list":["post-33489","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-contracts","category-selling-advice","category-texas-real-estate","tag-selling-a-house-in-texas"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhat is a seller\u2019s disclosure?<\/h2>\n
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\n <\/div>\n \n Find a Top Agent to Help You Navigate Disclosures<\/h3>\n
Is a seller\u2019s disclosure form required in Texas?<\/h2>\n
What does a Texas disclosure form mean for buyers?<\/h2>\n
What does a Texas disclosure form mean for sellers?<\/h2>\n
What does a seller\u2019s disclosure not do?<\/h2>\n
When is the Texas disclosure form required to be submitted?<\/h2>\n