A Iowa residential real estate purchase agreement (“Contract for Sale and Purchase of Real Estate”) is a contract which commits a buyer to an offer to purchase real estate, according to specific terms agreed by the buyer and seller. Negotiated specifics include the purchase price, financing method, closing date, and more.
Do Sellers in Iowa Have To Disclose Property Defects?
Iowa does require real estate sellers to disclose any material defects with a property, but state law is complicated on the specifics. In most cases, disclosure is done through a standardized disclosure form provided by statute, but any disclosure which provides the required information is valid.
By mutual agreement, it may be possible to waive the use of a standard form and handle required disclosures another way. However, the seller always has a duty to disclose all material defects that are not obvious on a casual inspection of the property, even if the buyer agrees to take the property “as-is.”
The basic duty to disclose cannot be waived under any circumstances, unless the sale falls under a recognized legal exemption. Iowa exempts the following common transfers, among others, from the disclosure form requirement:
- Court-ordered sales and transfers
- Sales by foreclosure or other debt default
- Transfer as part of the execution of a will or estate
- Transfer to a purchaser who will not use the property for residential purposes
- Transfer to a spouse, parent, or child
- Transfers to or from a government entity
Required Seller Disclosures in Iowa
Iowa sellers of residential real estate must make the following disclosures, as appropriate, to meet legal requirements for a real estate purchase agreement:
- Seller Property Condition Disclosure: Discloses material defects with a property that are known to the seller at the time of sale, and details any potential issues and conditions that may affect the value of the property.
- Lead-Based Paint Disclosure: Any home constructed earlier than 1978 must come with a disclosure upon the transfer of the property which includes any information about the presence of lead on the premises, as well as educational materials that communicate the health risks associated with lead exposure.
Sources
- 1 Iowa Code § 558A.1(5)
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“Transfer” means the transfer or conveyance by sale, exchange, real estate contract, or any other method by which real estate and improvements are purchased, if the property includes at least one but not more than four dwelling units. However, a transfer does not include any of the following:
a. A transfer made pursuant to a court order, including but not limited to a transfer under chapter 633 or 633A, the execution of a judgment, the foreclosure of a real estate mortgage pursuant to chapter 654, the forfeiture of a real estate contract under chapter 656, a transfer by a trustee in bankruptcy, a transfer by eminent domain, or a transfer resulting from a decree for specific performance.
b. A transfer to a mortgagee by a mortgagor or successor in interest who is in default, a transfer by a mortgagee who has acquired real property as a result of a deed in lieu of foreclosure or has acquired real property under chapter 654 or 655A, or a transfer back to a mortgagor exercising a right of first refusal pursuant to section 654.16A.
c. A transfer by a fiduciary in the course of the administration of a decedent’s estate, guardianship, conservatorship, or trust. This exemption shall not apply to a transfer of real estate in which the fiduciary is a living natural person and was an occupant in possession of the real estate at any time within the twelve consecutive months immediately preceding the date of transfer.
d. A transfer between joint tenants or tenants in common.
e. A transfer made to a spouse, or to a person within the third degree of consanguinity or affinity of a person making the transfer.
f. A transfer between spouses resulting from a decree of dissolution of marriage, a decree of legal separation, or a property settlement agreement which is incidental to the decree, including a decree ordered pursuant to chapter 598.
g. A transfer to or from the state, a political subdivision of the state, another state, or the United States.
h. A transfer by quitclaim deed.
i. A transfer by a power of attorney.
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