When you’re shopping for a home, you’ll likely talk to your real estate professional about the features you’re looking for; you should also discuss the things you want to avoid.

Tell your real estate professional if you are concerned about certain stigma—for example, if it would bother you to find out a suicide has taken place in the property. If there are stigmas that bother you, your real estate professional can ask a seller or the seller’s real estate representative direct questions about any existing stigma associated with a property you’re interested in.

The seller or the seller’s representative is not legally required to answer questions about stigma; however, they can’t lie. If they choose to answer your questions about stigma, they must do so honestly.

If the seller refuses to answer your questions, this may raise a red flag. In that case, you can

• proceed with the purchase without an answer to the stigma question
• do your own research:
  • through the Internet (e.g. Googling the address).
  • ask neighbours. Neighbours can be a great source of information. They will almost always know, for example, if a major crime has occurred at the property. If you see them outside when visiting a property, say hi.
• find another home to purchase

Your real estate professional can help you decide how to proceed.

As you start to look at properties, you may wonder what else you can do to help ensure you find the right property.

DO:

• ask about stigmas that concern you
• visit a property for a second showing if you’re interested, but still not sure
• ask about specific things you see in the house that you want to ensure are included in the purchase
• ask your real estate professional to search title to ensure there are no identified issues on title, such as builder’s liens or building design restrictions

As a seller, it is up to you to decide if you want to disclose a possible stigma to a potential buyer. You are not legally required to do so.

As a seller you can:

• answer the question without qualification
• answer the question with a disclaimer that the buyer should not rely on the accuracy of the information and to verify the information for themselves
• refuse to answer the buyer’s question(s)

If you choose to answer a potential buyer’s question about stigmas, you must do so honestly. You cannot lie to potential buyers about stigma.

You may be worried that disclosing a stigma will negatively affect the value of your property. On the other hand, if you aren’t willing to answer questions about possible stigma, it may scare some buyers away.

Ultimately, it is completely your decision whether to disclose stigma. Your real estate professional cannot disclose stigma to a potential buyer without your permission.