Letters: Property disclosure statements

Mark Weisleder (lawyer, author and speaker to the real estate industry) claims in his article The truth about property disclosure statements (REM, December) that “in many communities across Canada” sellers who do not fill out a property disclosure statement will “likely obtain less money for the property than if they had provided complete disclosure”.

I would like Mr. Weisleder to name these communities and what proof he has that sellers will likely obtain a higher price for their home by signing such a statement. I have never once, since the disclosure statements became standard practice, experienced a situation where a home sold for less because a statement was not available. Will some agents after reading his article, feel compelled to advise their buyers to offer less if there is no disclosure statement? Has Mr. Weisleder just created a problem that doesn’t really exist?

Bryson McQuirter, FRI, Broker

Re/Max Georgian Bay Realty

Midland, Ont.

Mark Weisleder replies: I have lectured to real estate salespeople across Canada over the last 25 years and for the most part, the observation is as a result of conversations that salespeople have told me based on personal experiences, that when disclosure statements were not provided, there were “stigmas” about the properties that people spoke about which impacted the final sale price offered.  This includes communities not far from Midland, although I cannot point to a specific property address.