What You Need to Know When Buying or Selling a Home

Buying or selling a home can involve health-related considerations, including lead-based paint, asbestos, private drinking water, radon and mold.

Some steps are required by law, while others are recommended to help you make informed decisions about a property. Requirements depend on factors such as when the home was built, how the property is used, and whether it has a private well or spring.

See requirements and recommendations at a glance and find out what buyers, sellers and real estate professionals need to know.

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Understand health-related considerations when buying or selling
For Buyers and Sellers
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Find a checklist for requirements and responsibilities
For Real Estate Professionals
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Find required educational materials and forms to print
Required Materials and Forms

At a Glance: Requirements and Recommendations

This table summarizes what Vermont law requires for real estate transactions and what the Health Department recommends. Requirements may vary depending on the property and situation. Click on the topics for more details.

TopicRequired by LawRecommended
Lead-based paintSellers and real estate agents must provide required disclosures and educational materials for residential properties built before 1978. Additional requirements apply to pre-1978 rental properties and childcare facilities.Buyers may choose to have a lead inspection or risk assessment.
Drinking water: private wells and springsSellers must provide buyers with a fact sheet. Test the water before the home goes on the market, if possible.
AsbestosLicensed inspection and abatement requirements apply in certain circumstances, including before relevant renovation or demolition work and when asbestos-containing materials will be disturbed.A full building asbestos inspection soon after purchase.
RadonNo Vermont law requires radon testing as part of a real estate transaction.Testing for radon in air is recommended. Generally, a long-term test (3 to 12 months) is best, but using short-term tests will get a quick result during a real estate transaction.
MoldNo Vermont law requires mold testing or removal as part of a real estate transaction.Testing for mold is not necessary and not recommended. Fixing the moisture source is the key to controlling mold.

Requirements and Recommendations

Find more information on Vermont law requirements and Health Department recommendations when you're buying or selling a home or property.

Asbestos

Asbestos is a mineral fiber used in some building materials, primarily for insulation and fire protection. If the materials are damaged or disturbed, they can release fibers. Breathing in asbestos fibers can cause serious health problems, including lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis.

Required by law

There is no general requirement to inspect a property for asbestos just because it is being sold. If a buyer wants an inspection, they must hire a Vermont-licensed Asbestos Inspector.

Before any renovation or demolition begins, a Vermont-licensed Asbestos Inspector must inspect the property. An inspection is also required before cleanup after a fire and when work will disturb asbestos-containing materials.

Vermont law may require removal of asbestos-containing materials before renovation or demolition, or when they are damaged. A Vermont-licensed Asbestos Abatement Company must perform any required removal.

Recommended

If you are buying a home, the Health Department recommends having a full building asbestos inspection done soon after the sale. This helps you find asbestos-containing materials so you can manage them safely and plan for future renovations.

More information

Drinking water: private wells and springs

About four in 10 Vermont homes get their drinking water from private wells or springs. Testing is the only way to know what's in your water, and owners are responsible for testing and maintaining their water systems.

Required by law

If you're selling a home that is not connected to a public water system, you must give the buyer a copy of Well Water Testing: A Home Buyer’s Guide.

Recommended

If you're selling a home, the Health Department recommends testing drinking water before putting your home on the market if possible. This gives you time to address any problems before the sale. Testing can take several weeks, so plan ahead.

  • Use all three kits in the Homeowner Testing Package to find out whether your water meets the Health Department’s drinking water standards. 
  • Some mortgage lenders have their own testing requirements (such as for a VA or FHA loan), so check with your lender about which tests they require. 

If you're buying a home, ask whether the drinking water has been tested and review any available results. If testing shows contaminants above recommended levels, you may need to address the source or treat the water.

More information

Lead-based paint in housing built before 1978

Lead is a toxic metal used in paint in homes built before 1978. It can cause serious and long-lasting health problems, especially for young children and during pregnancy. Lead-based paint can create hazardous dust when it chips, peels or is disturbed during repairs or renovations. 

Required by law

For residential properties built before 1978, Vermont and federal laws require certain lead disclosures and educational materials during the sale. Lead-based paint does not need to be removed from a home or property, unless due to a court order or similar legal action.

Before the sale

Sellers, real estate agents, and other people transferring ownership must:

Additional requirements for rental housing and childcare facilities

Rental properties and childcare facilities built before 1978 must comply with Vermont’s Inspection, Repair and Cleaning (IRC) Practices. 

Sellers must:

  • Provide buyers a copy of the property's current IRC Practices Compliance Statement.
  • Disclose any active enforcement actions, such as an assurance of discontinuance, administrative order or court order.
  • Submit the Vermont Lead Law Disclosure and IRC Verification Form before the purchase and sale agreement is signed.
  • If the property is not in compliance with IRC Practices at closing, buyers must bring it into compliance within 60 days of closing, unless the Commissioner of Health grants a time extension. 
    • Email [email protected] to request an extension. 
    • Failure to comply carries a mandatory civil penalty.
  • Buyers or other people transferring ownership must report the sale or transfer of ownership to the Health Department at the time of sale or transfer. 
Renovation and repairs

Contractors working on buildings built before 1978 must be appropriately licensed and follow lead-safe work practices. If unsafe work creates lead hazards, the property owner is responsible for cleanup.

More information

Mold

Mold grows where moisture is present, and it can affect people's health. Fixing the moisture source is the key to controlling mold.

Required by law

No general requirement for sellers to test for or remove mold as part of a real estate transaction.

Recommended

The Health Department does not recommend testing for mold because results can be difficult to interpret and can't determine whether a home is "safe" or "unsafe."

If you find mold, remove moldy materials, dry the area, and fix the moisture source. Otherwise, mold is likely to return.

More information

Radon

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that has no color, smell or taste. Breathing in radon increases your risk of developing lung cancer. Testing is the only way to know your home's radon level.

Required by law

Vermont law does not require radon testing as part of a real estate transaction.

Recommended

The Health Department recommends testing your home for radon in air. A long-term test lasting 3 to 12 months, ideally including a heating season, gives you a better picture of typical radon exposure.

If you need results quickly for a real estate transaction, you can use short-term test kits. 

  • Purchase two short-term radon in air test kits from the Health Department Lab, a private lab, or a building supply store. 
  • Place the testing devices side by side on the first floor, or in the basement if the buyer plans to use it as a living space.

If your result is at or above 4.0 picocuries per liter (pCi/L), the Health Department recommends reducing radon levels by installing a mitigation system. You are encouraged to lower levels below 2.0 pCi/L because lower levels can still pose some risk. 

More information

Information for Real Estate Professionals

Use this checklist to identify common health-related requirements when buying or selling a property. Requirements depend on the property's age, use and water source. 

Find more detailed guidance for each topic and download required materials to print.

Homes built before 1978: Lead

  • Give buyers the required lead education materials and the federal lead disclosure form.
  • Make sure sellers disclose available information about lead-based paint, including testing results and any approved exemption.
  • Give buyers the required opportunity to inspect for lead-based paint, unless they waive it.
  • For rental properties and childcare facilities built before 1978, make sure sellers and buyers complete the additional disclosure and compliance steps required under Vermont's Inspection, Repair and Cleaning (IRC) Practices.

Homes with a private well or spring

  • Give buyers a copy of Well Water Testing: A Home Buyer's Guide. 
  • Encourage sellers to test their drinking water using all three kits in the Homeowner Testing Package before the home goes on the market, if possible, so there is time to address any problems.
  • Help buyers and sellers understand that mortgage lenders may have their own water-testing requirements. 

Asbestos

  • If buyers want to know whether asbestos-containing materials are present, direct them to a Vermont-licensed Asbestos Inspector.
  • Share the asbestos fact sheet with buyers so they understand how to manage asbestos safely and plan for future renovations.
  • Remind clients that inspections and abatement may be required before renovation or demolition, or when asbestos-containing materials will be disturbed.

Radon

The Health Department recommends testing for radon. There is no Vermont law requiring radon testing as part of a real estate transaction. For quick test results, place two short-term radon testing devices side by side in the lowest living level of the home.

Mold 

The Health Department recommends checking for mold and moisture problems when buying or selling a home. There is no general requirement for sellers to test for or remove mold as part of a real estate transaction. The Health Department does not recommend mold testing.

Required Materials and Forms

Here are the required materials that sellers or real estate agents must give to buyers.

Note: If the property is a pre-1978 rental housing or a childcare facility, the seller needs to log in to their account to get a recent copy of their IRC Practices Compliance Statement.

Drinking Water - Well Water Testing: A Home Buyer's Guide
Cover of the EPA Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home booklet.
Lead - Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home
Cover of the EPA Renovate Right booklet.
Lead - Lead-Safe Guide to Renovate Right
Lead - Vermont RRPM for Homeowners, Renters and Childcare Providers
Preview of the EPA seller disclosure form.
Lead - Federal Lead Disclosure Form
Topics:
Healthy Homes
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