Homeowners can’t solve a mold problem by selling their home to an unsuspecting buyer. Here’s what buyers and sellers should know.

Many of us would laugh at the idea of mold entering into a real estate transaction. I mean, who ever heard of a home not selling because of mold or a “mold contingency”?

A few years ago, no one ever heard of such a thing. But today, mold gets more media attention, and homes on the market need to have a mold inspection. Here’s why:

Mold litigation is on the rise. More and more attorneys are handling cases relating to mold exposure. In these cases some pretty hefty judgments and settlements have been awarded.

Real estate agents need to inform their sellers that, legally, they need to disclose any mold problems. This is especially true if that homeowner knows there’s a mold problem that may not be apparent from a basic home inspection.

Although mold exists everywhere, it prefers dark, moist places, such as inside your wall cavities. A roof that has slowly leaked for a long time creates moisture and encourages mold growth.

By the time you see mold growing on the outside of the wall, it’s usually pretty thick on the inside. Combine an elevated mold condition with a particularly sensitive person, and you may have a lawsuit.