Disclosure: Safest Way To Sell A Home

"Have an inspector come out." While experts say that advice applies anywhere in the country, it may be particularly apt for Alabama. The Heart of Dixie is among only a half-dozen states that don't require sellers to tell potential purchasers of problems with a house that could hurt its sales-worthiness or desirability, according to a spokesman for the National Association of Realtors, a Washington, D.C. trade group. The lone exceptions are for health or safety concerns. Sellers, you can get a home inspection done before you place your home on the market and address what needs to be fixed. As a seller, your agent can share this with prospective buyers to show what was found and what was fixed. Also, homeowner, keep your records and paperwork for anything you had done on the house like replacing an air conditioner or replacing the roof, for example. Buyers, you get a home inspection too! Even if the sellers have had a preinspection like the one noted above, we would recommend getting another one maybe even from a different inspection company. This just keeps the companies honest and you never know what could have been missed on accident during the first inspection or has broken since it was inspected. Also, you can make the contract contingent upon the home inspection. By doing this you have an escape clause in case the inspection comes back a little shady. These are just a few of ideas you can do to protect yourself and probably the biggest financial investment of your life. You should disclose the following potential house defects: · Plumbing and sewage problems · Water leakage of any type, including in basements · Termites or other infestations · Roof defects · Heating or air conditioning system problems · Property drainage problems · Foundation instabilities or cracks · Problems with title to the property · Lead paint (required under the federal Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992 for homes built prior to 1978)