Friday, December 21, 2007

Got Radon? Now part of a home sale

Another piece of paper will be added to the home sale transaction, beginning January 1, 2008. The Illinois state legislature has mandated that any home sale contract dated January 1, 2008 and beyond must be accompanied by a radon disclosure provided by the seller to the purchaser. In a similar fashion to the existing lead paint disclosure requirement, the seller(s) must attest to their knowledge of the existence of radon gas in the property being sold. The disclosure form and a pamphlet explaining the reasons for concern about radon gas in homes has been issued for use by real estate professionals just this week.


Radon has been identified as a health risk, and some communities in the Chicagoland area seem to have more of a problem with radon than others. Your local real estate agent should be able to discuss the radon concern with you, and provide the required disclosures and pamphlet to every seller. To learn more about the radon risk and our state's new requirements surrounding a home sale, visit this website: http://www.radon.illinois.gov/availpub.asp


or


phone 1-800-325-1245.


Coincidentally, a recent episode of the television program "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" told the story of a family whose home was filled with the dangerous radon gas.


Making the home buying process a little safer for everyone is the goal; raising awareness of radon is part of the solution.