Am I required to disclose major crimes or deaths in a property to prospective buyers?

 

§ 55.1-713 of the Act states that “no cause of action shall arise against an owner or a real estate licensee for failure to disclose that the real property was the site of: (1) an act or occurrence that had no effect on the physical structure of the real property, its physical environment, or the improvements located thereon (e.g. presence of spirits); or (2) a homicide, felony, or suicide.”

As for REALTORS®, Article 2 of the Code of Ethics likely does not require disclosure. This is supported by Standard of Practice 2-5, which states, “factors defined as ‘non-material’ by law or regulation or which are expressly referenced in law or regulation as not being subject to disclosure are considered not 'pertinent' for the purposes of Article 2.”


Commercial Council