Lead paint has a federal disclosure rule you have to follow either way.
It applies whether you sell to us or to anybody else, and it applies to most Kentucky housing built before 1978. It is a paperwork requirement, not a barrier.
Sell the older houseWhat the rule actually requires
For most residential property built before 1978, federal law requires sellers to disclose known lead based paint and hazards, provide any records or reports they have, give the buyer the EPA approved pamphlet, and include the required disclosure language in the contract.
Buyers generally also get a ten day opportunity to conduct a lead assessment, which they can waive. None of this stops a sale. It structures one.
Why it matters more on rentals
If the property has been a rental, lead paint carries additional weight. Deteriorating paint in a unit occupied by young children is where real liability lives, and the disclosure obligations for landlords are ongoing rather than one time.
Owners of older Kentucky rentals who are tired of managing that exposure are a large share of the people who call us about this specific issue.
What it does to your buyer pool
A retail buyer with young children will often walk over a positive test regardless of encapsulation options. Some renovation lending programs also treat it as a required remediation item, which adds cost to a buyer's project.
We assume pre 1978 housing has it. Encapsulation or component replacement gets built into the renovation budget as a matter of course, so it does not change whether we buy.
Five questions. That is the whole thing.
We already know your situation from this page. Change it if it does not fit.
Question 1 of 5
What people ask about this
Do I need to test for lead before selling?
No. The rule requires you to disclose what you know and provide records you have, not to create new ones by testing.
What if the paint is in bad shape?
Deteriorating paint is the higher risk condition, particularly with children in the house. Disclose the condition as you know it.
Does this apply to a house built in 1980?
The federal rule applies to target housing built before 1978. After that it generally does not, though other disclosure obligations still apply.
Often it is more than one thing at once
Sell the older house.
No cost, no obligation, and nobody shows up at your door unless you ask them to.