When it comes to selling your home, there are some odd requirements. One of those requirements can be to disclose when forensic cleaning was required in the home. It’s unfortunate that a tragic situation might have to be shared with another party.
The question is, do you really have to disclose that there was a death in your home? Will it make a difference when you try to sell?
What Does the Law State?
Every state has different laws when it comes to this type of situation. The best place to check is with your state laws to be certain. However, most states will not require you to disclose a death if it was due to natural causes.
The state of Texas property codes do not require disclosure if the death was natural, suicide, or unrelated to the condition of the property. In other words, you only are required to disclose the death if it is directly related to the property.
If for some reason the death was related to the property’s condition, this does have to be disclosed to any potential buyers.
If you live in a state other than Texas, be sure to check out your local laws and property codes to know the right thing to do.
When Should I Disclose?
Chances are you followed the proper channels for forensic cleaning and taking care of the death that occurred on your property. While you may not legally be required to disclose, you might determine that it is in your best interest to do so.
Think about it this way. What if, shortly before closing on the sale, the buyers discovered there was a death? At this point, they might feel like you were trying to hide that fact from them. Some buyers will never find out and others won’t care, but it could cause the sale to fall through in some cases.
If someone died naturally, there is a chance it won’t matter to most buyers. However, if there was a darker reason behind the death, such as suicide or murder, it might be more ethical to share that with the buyer.
In the end, it’s up to you; we just want you to be aware of how the decision could affect your sale.
The Buyer’s Perspective
What should be a private and personal matter for you may quickly become public knowledge. In the event that something terrible happened in your home, this has actually decreased a home’s value in some cases.
You most likely just want to sell your home and move on with your life. Unfortunately, sometimes it isn’t quite that simple. Some buyers are acutely curious about this kind of thing. Other buyers see it as none of their business.
It’s impossible to know what stance your potential buyers will take until that time comes. Be proactive in mentioning there was a death. You don’t have to share all of the details beyond that.
Forensic Cleaning in the Home
When it comes to taking care of a situation like this, the best way to do so is to hire a forensic cleaning team. This will be the extra step to make sure the home is clean and disinfected prior to passing on ownership.
Austin Bio Clean offers a variety of biohazard cleaning services for these situations. Let us help you handle cleanup so you can move on.
