Washington § 64.06.015 - Unimproved residential real property — Seller's duty — Format of disclosure statement — Minimum information.

(1) In a transaction for the sale of unimproved residential real property, the seller shall, unless the buyer has expressly waived the right to receive the disclosure statement under RCW 64.06.010, or unless the transfer is otherwise exempt under RCW 64.06.010, deliver to the buyer a completed seller disclosure statement in the following format and that contains, at a minimum, the following information:

INSTRUCTIONS TO THE SELLER

Please complete the following form. Do not leave any spaces blank. If the question clearly does not apply to the property write "NA." If the answer is "yes" to any * items, please explain on attached sheets. Please refer to the line number(s) of the question(s) when you provide your explanation(s). For your protection you must date and sign each page of this disclosure statement and each attachment. Delivery of the disclosure statement must occur not later than five business days, unless otherwise agreed, after mutual acceptance of a written contract to purchase between a buyer and a seller.

NOTICE TO THE BUYER

THE FOLLOWING DISCLOSURES ARE MADE BY SELLER ABOUT THE CONDITION OF THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT. . . .

("THE PROPERTY"), OR AS LEGALLY DESCRIBED ON ATTACHED EXHIBIT A.

SELLER MAKES THE FOLLOWING DISCLOSURES OF EXISTING MATERIAL FACTS OR MATERIAL DEFECTS TO BUYER BASED ON SELLER'S ACTUAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROPERTY AT THE TIME SELLER COMPLETES THIS DISCLOSURE STATEMENT. UNLESS YOU AND SELLER OTHERWISE AGREE IN WRITING, YOU HAVE THREE BUSINESS DAYS FROM THE DAY SELLER OR SELLER'S AGENT DELIVERS THIS DISCLOSURE STATEMENT TO YOU TO RESCIND THE AGREEMENT BY DELIVERING A SEPARATELY SIGNED WRITTEN STATEMENT OF RESCISSION TO SELLER OR SELLER'S AGENT. IF THE SELLER DOES NOT GIVE YOU A COMPLETED DISCLOSURE STATEMENT, THEN YOU MAY WAIVE THE RIGHT TO RESCIND PRIOR TO OR AFTER THE TIME YOU ENTER INTO A SALE AGREEMENT.

THE FOLLOWING ARE DISCLOSURES MADE BY SELLER AND ARE NOT THE REPRESENTATIONS OF ANY REAL ESTATE LICENSEE OR OTHER PARTY. THIS INFORMATION IS FOR DISCLOSURE ONLY AND IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A PART OF ANY WRITTEN AGREEMENT BETWEEN BUYER AND SELLER.

FOR A MORE COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION OF THE SPECIFIC CONDITION OF THIS PROPERTY YOU ARE ADVISED TO OBTAIN AND PAY FOR THE SERVICES OF QUALIFIED EXPERTS TO INSPECT THE PROPERTY, WHICH MAY INCLUDE, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ARCHITECTS, ENGINEERS, LAND SURVEYORS, PLUMBERS, ELECTRICIANS, ROOFERS, BUILDING INSPECTORS, ON-SITE WASTEWATER TREATMENT INSPECTORS, OR STRUCTURAL PEST INSPECTORS. THE PROSPECTIVE BUYER AND SELLER MAY WISH TO OBTAIN PROFESSIONAL ADVICE OR INSPECTIONS OF THE PROPERTY OR TO PROVIDE APPROPRIATE PROVISIONS IN A CONTRACT BETWEEN THEM WITH RESPECT TO ANY ADVICE, INSPECTION, DEFECTS OR WARRANTIES.

Seller . . . . is/ . . . . is not occupying the property.

DISCLOSURES CONTAINED IN THIS DISCLOSURE STATEMENT ARE PROVIDED BY SELLER BASED ON SELLER'S ACTUAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROPERTY AT THE TIME SELLER COMPLETES THIS DISCLOSURE STATEMENT. UNLESS BUYER AND SELLER OTHERWISE AGREE IN WRITING, BUYER SHALL HAVE THREE BUSINESS DAYS FROM THE DAY SELLER OR SELLER'S AGENT DELIVERS THIS DISCLOSURE STATEMENT TO RESCIND THE AGREEMENT BY DELIVERING A SEPARATELY SIGNED WRITTEN STATEMENT OF RESCISSION TO SELLER OR SELLER'S AGENT. YOU MAY WAIVE THE RIGHT TO RESCIND PRIOR TO OR AFTER THE TIME YOU ENTER INTO A SALE AGREEMENT.

BUYER HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGES RECEIPT OF A COPY OF THIS DISCLOSURE STATEMENT AND ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE DISCLOSURES MADE HEREIN ARE THOSE OF THE SELLER ONLY, AND NOT OF ANY REAL ESTATE LICENSEE OR OTHER PARTY.

DATE . . . . . . . BUYER . . . . . . . . . BUYER. . . .

(2) The seller disclosure statement shall be for disclosure only, and shall not be considered part of any written agreement between the buyer and seller of residential property. The seller disclosure statement shall be only a disclosure made by the seller, and not any real estate licensee involved in the transaction, and shall not be construed as a warranty of any kind by the seller or any real estate licensee involved in the transaction.

Application—2009 c 505: See note following RCW 64.06.005.

Findings—Intent—2007 c 107: "(1) The legislature finds that:

(a) Some purchasers of residential property have been financially ruined, and their health threatened, by the discovery of toxic materials buried or otherwise hidden on the property, that was not disclosed by the seller who had actual knowledge of the presence of such materials before the sale;

(b) Current law exempts some sellers from legal responsibility to disclose what they know about the presence of toxic materials on unimproved property they are selling for residential purposes; and

(c) Seller disclosure statements provide information of fundamental importance to a buyer to help the buyer determine whether the property has health and safety characteristics suitable for residential use and whether the buyer can financially afford the clean-up costs and related legal costs.

(2) The legislature intends that:

(a) Purchasers of unimproved property intended to be used for residential purposes be entitled to receive from the seller information known by the seller about toxic materials on or buried in the property;

(b) There be no legal exemptions from such disclosure in the interests of fairness and transparency in residential property sales transactions; and

(c) Separate residential property sales disclosure forms be used for improved and unimproved property, to assist with transparency in property transactions." [ 2007 c 107 s 1.]