Disclosure and property condition on the Tennessee exam

Seller disclosure

Tennessee residential sellers generally provide a property condition disclosure covering the known condition of the property. Certain transfers are exempt, and the disclosure is the seller's statement — a licensee neither authors it nor guarantees it.

Adverse facts and latent defects

A licensee must disclose known adverse facts about the physical condition of the property to all parties, including customers. A latent defect is a material problem not reasonably discoverable on inspection — that is exactly the category the exam cares about.

• —Known material defects must be disclosed regardless of who you represent.
• —Confidentiality never authorizes concealing a known defect.
• —'I did not personally verify it' is not a defense once you know.

Stigmatized property

Facts about events rather than physical condition — a death on the property, alleged hauntings, prior occupants' illnesses — are treated differently from defects, and some categories are specifically protected from disclosure. Never volunteer protected-class-adjacent information; direct factual questions go to counsel or public records.

Lead-based paint

For target housing built before 1978, federal rules require the disclosure form, the EPA pamphlet, disclosure of known lead hazards and records, and a 10-day opportunity for the buyer to conduct an inspection unless waived in writing.