Posted by Luke Bouman on Wednesday, September 30th, 2026 9:00am.
By Luke Bouman | Luke Bouman Real Estate Team | September 2026
The seller's disclosure statement is a key document in a Michigan home sale, and both buyers and sellers benefit from understanding what it covers. It shapes what a buyer knows and what a seller is responsible for revealing. Here is a clear guide.
Michigan requires sellers of residential property to complete a disclosure statement covering the known condition of the home: the major systems, structure, roof, basement and moisture history, plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling, and any known defects or problems. The key word is known. Sellers must disclose material conditions they are aware of, not conditions they genuinely do not know about.
As a buyer, read the disclosure carefully for anything flagged, especially around water, moisture, foundation, and major systems, and treat it as a roadmap for your inspection. If the seller notes past water in a basement, for example, your inspector should look closely there. The disclosure does not replace an inspection. It informs it.
A disclosure reflects the seller's knowledge, not a professional assessment, and it does not cover conditions the seller is unaware of. This is exactly why an independent inspection matters. The two documents work together: the disclosure tells you what the seller knows, and the inspection tells you what a professional finds.
For sellers, an honest, complete disclosure reduces the risk of a dispute after closing. For buyers, it provides material information to make an informed decision. Both sides are served by accuracy and transparency. The Luke Bouman Team is the Lakeshore's most reviewed real estate team, with 450+ five-star Google reviews and over 1,000 five-star reviews across all major platforms. Call (616) 344-9923.
Related: Home Inspection Walkthrough | Contingencies Explained | First-Time Home Buyer Guide