Selling a House with Radon in Scranton PA?

As the leading cash home buyer in Scranton and the surrounding areas, we offer:

1. You sell quick
2. You sell for cash
3. You sell “AS IS”
4. No extra expenses
5. No endless showings
6. No waiting months for a buyer

Yes, you may not know the exact levels of radon in your house, but you must disclose some issues about the presence of radon when selling a home in Scranton.

Pennsylvania law requires home sellers to disclose to buyers any known radon tests done.

These tests should be included on the required residential property disclosure completed by the homeowner.

This disclosure must be given to the prospective buyer before a sales contract can be accepted.

The disclosure also requires homeowners to specify the current radon mitigation system being used at the property.

No, radon testing is not required to sell a house in Scranton. Homebuyers, however, have the legal right to have radon testing done as part of a home inspection.

If the levels from the testing are at or above the Environmental Protection Agency safe limit of 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L), the buyers may ask the homeowner to mitigate before closing the sale.

When testing shows radon gas levels above the federally-established safe levels, buyers might ask sellers to leave cash in escrow to cover the cost of a mitigation system to be installed after the sale closes.

Sellers can refuse, but the buyer may back out of the sale as a result of the refusal.

Under Pennsylvania law, buyers can cancel a sale based on discoveries of material defects found by any home inspector, including radon testing inspectors.

A material defect in a home is any issue that risks the buyer’s health and safety. Radon testing is typically done at the buyer’s expense over a number of days when the house is sealed from use.

Homeowners selling a house with a radon mitigation system may have buyers ask to have the mitigation system inspected to make sure the readings are accurate.

Buyers will frequently test to see if the system keeps radon levels within the limits listed as acceptable for safety.

This testing is also done at the buyer’s expense, unless the buyer has negotiated with the seller to pay for the test.

The fast way:

1. Contact us for a free, no-obligation offer to buy your house for cash.
2. We’ll come to the house and make an offer on your property.
3. If you agree to the offer, we’ll open escrow.
4. In an average of just 3-30 days, we’ll close escrow and you’ll have your cash.
5. We’ll even pay your closing costs!

The slow way:

1. Interview local real estate agents to find one with experience listing and marketing a house with radon issues.
2. Complete the listing contract and fill out the state-mandated property disclosure form.
3. Market the house to the public, including holding open houses.
4. Evaluate offers and make counter offers until you have a final sales contract.
5. Open escrow, and allow your buyers to hire home inspectors to examine your house. This may include a radon test to determine gas levels.
6. Renegotiate the sales contract after the buyer has read the home inspection reports that find some issues with your property.
7. Wait for your buyer to apply for and be accepted for a loan to buy your house.
8. Wait for your buyer to find hazard insurance and write a policy to cover their new house.
9. Wait for the lender to hire an appraiser to evaluate your property and hope the appraisal price matches with the purchase price.
10. Wait for the lender’s underwriter to approve the loan.
11. Close the escrow where you’ll pay the closing costs and your real estate agent’s commission.

Yes, it can be extremely difficult to sell a house with radon in Scranton, even when the radon gas exposure has been reduced with a mitigation system.

More prospective homeowners are now aware of the increased lung cancer risks associated with radon exposure, and are cautious about buying a home with high levels of the gas.

Mitigation systems must be monitored to ensure the fans are working property. The systems also deteriorate over time and need to be replaced.

Savvy home shoppers understand these and future potential issues and will avoid a house with high levels of radon gas that must be mitigated.