Most people selling a previously occupied Texas home must provide a written disclosure of what they know about the property. That includes known defects, previous damage, significant repairs, insurance claims, and other conditions that could matter to a buyer.
You are not expected to diagnose the house, know every building code from memory, or somehow know what happened before you owned it. You are expected to answer honestly based on the information you have.
That distinction matters.
The Seller's Disclosure asks about the roof, foundation, plumbing, electrical system, HVAC, water damage, structural changes, insurance claims, repairs, and approximately nine million other things you may not have thought about since moving in.
Every question needs a response based on what the seller actually knows. Your agent can explain what a question means, but your agent cannot choose the answer for you.
Even if you say, “Just fill it out however you think.”
It is called the Seller's Disclosure for a reason.
Repair invoices, warranties, insurance records, previous reports, and a slow walk around the property can help you remember important details. Homes have a remarkable ability to remind us of things once we are standing in front of the patched drywall.
Sellers are sometimes surprised to learn that “Unknown” is an acceptable response when they truly do not know the answer.
For example, the disclosure asks whether the smoke alarms comply with Chapter 766 of the Texas Health and Safety Code. Most homeowners have not studied that code and cannot confidently answer based on their own knowledge.
The distinction is whether the information is genuinely outside the seller's knowledge. A seller may not know whether smoke alarms meet a particular legal standard. A seller does know that the house previously flooded or underwent major repairs.
The disclosure asks sellers to be honest about what they know, not to have expert knowledge about every component of the home. When the answer is truly unknown, say so. No one should turn a guess into a sworn fact just because the form has a checkbox.
Possibly – and "we fixed it" is not the same as "we no longer need to mention it."
Start with the disclosure itself. If it asks about the condition, damage, repair, claim, or treatment, answer the question completely based on what you know. Do not decide that a repair made the question irrelevant.
A broken window that was replaced may need little or no explanation beyond the question the form actually asks. A leak that caused water damage, termite treatment, foundation work, mold remediation, a roof claim, or an electrical repair may be important to a buyer even when the work was completed and the house is currently functioning as it should.
The line is not simply "minor repairs stay quiet; major repairs get disclosed." Context matters, and sellers should not be left to invent their own importance test. If you are wondering whether a buyer would want to know, that is a strong sign to disclose it or ask before leaving it out.
Disclosure does not automatically make a repaired problem a deal killer. In many cases, the repair records are reassuring: they show what happened, who corrected it, when the work was completed, and whether a warranty remains. Invoices, photographs, insurance records, and contractor documentation can turn a vague concern into an understandable history.
Whether another issue should be repaired before listing is a separate decision. Some conditions should be corrected, while others may be better handled through accurate disclosure and realistic pricing.
Raylene's practical rule is simple: when in doubt, disclose. Explain what happened, what was done, and what documentation you have.
A documented repair is much easier to discuss than a problem the buyer believes someone tried to hide.
Roof claims are one of the most common disclosure issues Raylene encounters in Bryan-College Station and the surrounding counties.
Some sellers assume that if the insurance company paid for a new roof, the old damage no longer matters. But the claim, damage, and replacement history may all be relevant.
If the roof question began with a recent storm, having it evaluated before a buyer’s inspection gives the seller more time to understand the condition, gather documentation, and decide what needs to happen next.
If you have had a roof claim, keep the paperwork. Buyers may want to know what caused the damage, when the work was completed, whether the entire roof was replaced, and whether any warranty transfers with the property.
“Roof replaced sometime around 2022-ish” is not nearly as reassuring as an invoice from a roofer with an actual date on it.
The 2026 Seller’s Disclosure asks whether the seller received certain written inspection reports or evaluations of the property within the previous four years. If the answer is yes, those reports must be identified and attached.
This reaches well beyond a previous buyer’s general home inspection. It can include a written roof, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, foundation, pool, mold, termite, environmental, or other specialized evaluation prepared by someone who regularly performs that type of work and is licensed, certified, or otherwise legally authorized to do it.
A window professional who regularly performs that type of evaluation and is legally authorized to do so gives you a written report? It counts. A licensed pest professional investigates the mysterious tiny bugs near the windowsill and provides a report? Boom. That counts too.
It does not matter who ordered the report, whether the seller agrees with its conclusions, or whether the reported problem was later repaired. If the seller received a qualifying report within the last four years, it belongs with the disclosure.
Disclose the new information in writing.
During one local transaction, a water heater in an upstairs unit failed and caused water damage in the primary-bedroom closet below. The seller addressed the damage, but completing the repair was only half the job. The new event and the work performed also needed to be added to the disclosure record while the transaction was underway.
Repairs solve the physical problem. Accurate disclosure handles the information problem. Those are separate responsibilities.
A seller does not necessarily have to complete the entire original disclosure again whenever something changes. The new information can be provided through the appropriate written update. What matters is that the buyer receives it.
Not always. The property determines which additional disclosures apply.
Depending on the home and its location, a Texas sale may also require information concerning:
Other disclosures may apply depending on the property, land, ownership, and transaction. Identifying them is part of preparing the home for sale, preferably before an offer arrives and everyone suddenly needs six forms by 5:00 p.m.
Texas law exempts certain types of transfers from the statutory Seller's Disclosure Notice. Whether an exemption applies depends on the property, ownership, and nature of the transfer.
Selling a property “as is” does not create an exemption. An exemption from the form is also not permission to conceal a known material defect.
Questions about a possible exemption or a seller's legal disclosure obligations should be directed to a Texas real estate attorney.
Raylene will not represent them.
There is no creative wording, marketing strategy, or commission large enough to justify concealing a known material issue or risking a real estate license.
Answer based on what you actually know. Use “Unknown” when you truly do not know. Provide the reports and repair records you have, and disclose important new information that appears while the property is for sale.
A home does not need a perfect history. It needs an honest one.
This article provides general real estate information, not legal advice. Questions about legal liability, disclosure exemptions, or a seller's specific legal obligations should be directed to a Texas real estate attorney.
Thinking about selling? A home-selling consultation can help you identify preparation priorities, likely disclosure questions, and the documents worth gathering before the home reaches the market.
