Lead Paint Disclosure in Crown Point: What Pre-1978 Home Sales Require

Lead paint disclosure in Crown Point applies to most home sales where the house was built before 1978. The EPA says federal law requires sellers and their agents to give buyers a lead pamphlet, share what they know about lead-based paint, hand over any reports, and attach a Lead Warning Statement before the buyer signs. At our Crown Point shop we check the year built at the start, so the lead papers are part of the contract and not a scramble at the end.

We’re the shop on South Main in Crown Point. Love Thy Neighbor. Call Pam at (219) 801-0432 or Sash at (219) 808-1520.

Buying or selling a home built before 1978? Call Pam at (219) 801-0432 or Sash at (219) 808-1520 and we will walk through the lead disclosure steps before anyone signs. Curious what nearby homes sold for? Search homes for sale. You can see homes for sale and sold homes across Indiana and Illinois there.

This is how our shop handles lead paint disclosure for buyers and sellers in Crown Point and the rest of Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland, plus what the EPA and the federal rule say. Start the buyer path on Buy. More buying guides are in our buying guides. Short questions go to Ask Realest.

Which homes the lead rule covers

The EPA page on real estate lead disclosures says lead-based paint for use in homes was banned in 1978, but it is still present in millions of homes. The disclosure rule applies to most pre-1978 private housing, public housing, federally owned housing, and housing receiving federal assistance.

The EPA lists homes the rule does not cover. Among them are housing built after 1977, foreclosure sales, and zero-bedroom units such as efficiencies and lofts. Some exceptions change if a child under six lives in the home. A certified lead-free inspection only skips the disclosure for rentals, not for sales (40 CFR 745.101).

So the first question we ask on any deal is simple. What year was the house built? Plenty of homes in the towns we work were built before 1978.

What the seller hands the buyer before signing

The EPA says that before a buyer signs a contract on a covered home, federal law requires sellers and real estate agents to do five things:

1. The lead pamphlet. Give the buyer a copy of Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home. It comes in several languages.

2. What the seller knows. Disclose any known lead-based paint or lead-based paint hazards in the home, which may include where it is and the condition of the painted surfaces.

3. Records and reports. Provide all available records and reports on lead-based paint or hazards in the home.

4. The Lead Warning Statement. Attach the federal warning language to the contract, or put it into the contract, in the same language as the rest of the contract. The EPA posts a sample seller disclosure form for this.

5. A 10-day window. Give the buyer a 10-day period to get a lead-based paint inspection or risk assessment.

This federal attachment is separate from the Indiana seller disclosure form. For the state form, see our guide to the Indiana sellers disclosure and Real Estate USA’s Indiana seller disclosure form guide.

Not sure when your house was built? Call Pam at (219) 801-0432 or Sash at (219) 808-1520. We will help you find the year built before you list or write an offer. Or look around first: Search homes for sale.

The buyer 10-day lead inspection window

Under 40 CFR 745 Subpart F, before a buyer is bound to buy a pre-1978 home, the seller must allow a 10-day period for a lead-based paint inspection or risk assessment. The buyer and seller can agree in writing on a different period. The buyer can also waive it in writing.

The EPA says a buyer concerned about lead-based paint can hire a certified inspector before committing to buy. We set the lead window next to the regular home inspection so the dates line up. Read how we handle home inspections in Crown Point and Real Estate USA’s home inspection contingency guide. Testing for radon too? See radon testing in Lake and Porter counties.

If that inspection finds repair work that cannot finish before closing, our escrow holdback guide covers how a title company can hold funds for the work.

How our shop handles lead disclosure

1. Year built first. We confirm the year built from the county record and the seller before the house goes on the market or before we write an offer.

2. Seller paperwork early. For sellers, we go over what the federal rule asks of you and collect any lead reports you already have. The rule itself says agents must tell sellers about these duties.

3. Pamphlet and warning in the offer. For buyers, we make sure the pamphlet and the signed Lead Warning Statement attachment are in hand before you sign.

4. The window on the calendar. We write the 10-day lead window, or a written change or waiver, into the deal dates. See from accepted offer to closing.

5. Copies kept. Federal rules say the seller and any agent keep the signed attachment for at least 3 years after the sale. We keep ours with the deal file.

Buying a home by town

The lead rule is federal, so the papers look the same in every town. The age of the housing does not. Our shop is on South Main in Crown Point, and buyers and sellers come to us from across Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland, including Crown Point, St. John, Schererville, Dyer, Munster, Highland, Cedar Lake, Lowell, Merrillville, Hobart, and Valparaiso.

For what living there is like, Real Estate USA keeps guides to homes in Crown Point, St. John, Schererville, Dyer, Munster, Highland, Cedar Lake, Lowell, Merrillville, Hobart, and Valparaiso. It also has Indiana seller disclosure form, Home inspection contingency, and Moving to Crown Point, Indiana.

The risks to weigh

Paint condition. The EPA says lead-based paint is usually not a hazard if it is in good condition, but peeling, chipping, chalking, cracking, or damaged paint is a hazard and needs prompt attention.

Young children and pregnancy. The federal Lead Warning Statement says lead from paint may place young children at risk of lead poisoning and that lead poisoning poses a particular risk to pregnant women. Ask early if this applies to your household.

Skipping the window. Waiving the 10-day lead window is your choice, in writing. Weigh it against the age and condition of the home.

Disclosure is not removal. The rule makes the seller share what is known. It does not require the seller to remove lead paint. Repairs or credits are part of the negotiation.

What we will ask you back

Expect questions about the year the home was built, any lead reports or past paint work, who will live in the home, and whether you want a lead inspection during the 10-day window. Ready to talk? Use our contact page or call Pam at (219) 801-0432 or Sash at (219) 808-1520.

Questions about lead paint disclosure in Crown Point

Does lead paint disclosure apply to my Crown Point home?

If the home was built before 1978, the federal Lead-Based Paint Disclosure Rule applies to most sales. The EPA says it does not apply to housing built after 1977, foreclosure sales, zero-bedroom units, and a few other cases. Call Pam at (219) 801-0432 or Sash at (219) 808-1520 and we will check the year built with you.

What does the seller have to give a buyer?

The EPA says that before the buyer signs a contract, the seller must give the Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home pamphlet, disclose any known lead-based paint or hazards, hand over available records and reports, and attach a Lead Warning Statement to the contract.

What is the 10-day lead inspection window?

Federal rules give a buyer of a pre-1978 home a 10-day period to get a lead-based paint inspection or risk assessment before the buyer is bound to buy. The buyer and seller can agree in writing to a different period, and the buyer can waive it in writing.

Does disclosure mean the seller has to remove lead paint?

No. The rule is about disclosure, not removal. The EPA says lead-based paint is usually not a hazard if it is in good condition, but peeling, chipping, chalking, or cracking paint is a hazard and needs prompt attention. Any repair or credit is something buyer and seller negotiate.

How long are lead disclosure papers kept?

Under 40 CFR 745.113, the seller and any agent keep a copy of the signed disclosure attachment for at least 3 years from the completion date of the sale. We keep ours with the rest of the deal file.

How do I start buying or selling a pre-1978 home with Realest?

Call Pam at (219) 801-0432 or Sash at (219) 808-1520, or email saso@realest.com. Visit us at 112 S. Main St., Suite B, Crown Point, IN 46307. Tell us the year the home was built and we will walk through the lead disclosure steps with you. Love Thy Neighbor.

Talk to the shop

Realest, 112 S. Main St., Suite B, Crown Point, IN 46307

Call Pam at (219) 801-0432 or Sash at (219) 808-1520 or email saso@realest.com.

Love Thy Neighbor

Keep reading with Buy, our buying guides, Indiana sellers disclosure guide, Home inspections guide, Offer to closing, and the Crown Point hub. For homes for sale and sold homes in Indiana and Illinois, try Search homes for sale.

Sources

• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Real Estate Disclosures about Potential Lead Hazards: who the rule covers, the exceptions, and what sellers and agents give buyers before a contract
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home, the real estate disclosure pamphlet
• 40 CFR Part 745 Subpart F (eCFR): the 10-day evaluation period, the Lead Warning Statement, agent duties, and 3-year recordkeeping

This page is shop process, not legal, health, or environmental advice. The federal rule, your purchase agreement, and a certified lead professional have the final word.