A5. If the transfer is of a condominium unit, the property to which this form applies is the condominium unit, the common elements of the condominium, and any limited common elements that may be used only by the owner of the condominium unit being transferred.
A6. The owner discloses the following information with the knowledge that, even though this is not a warranty, prospective buyers may rely on this information in deciding whether and on what terms to purchase the property. The owner hereby authorizes the owner’s agents and the agents of any prospective buyer to provide a copy of this report, and to disclose any information in the report, to any person in connection with any actual or anticipated sale of the property.
CAUTION: The lists of defects following each question below are examples only and are not the only defects that may properly be disclosed in response to each respective question.
B. STRUCTURAL AND MECHANICAL
C. ENVIRONMENTAL
D. WELLS, SEPTIC SYSTEMS, STORAGE TANKS
E. TAXES, SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS, PERMITS, ETC.
F. LAND USE
G. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
OWNER’S CERTIFICATION
NOTE: Wisconsin Statute section 709.035 requires owners who, prior to acceptance of a purchase contract or an option to purchase, obtain information that would change a response on this report to submit a complete amended report or an amendment to the previously completed report to the prospective buyer within 10 days of acceptance.
The owner certifies that the information in this report is true and correct to the best of the owner’s knowledge as of the date on which the owner signs this report.
Owner ................................................ Date ..............
Owner ................................................ Date ..............
Owner ................................................ Date ..............
CERTIFICATION BY PERSON SUPPLYING INFORMATION
A person other than the owner certifies that the person supplied information on which the owner relied for this report and that the information is true and correct to the best of the person’s knowledge as of the date on which the person signs this report.
Person ..................................... Items ....................................... Date .................
Person ..................................... Items ....................................... Date .................
Person ..................................... Items ....................................... Date .................
BUYER’S ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The prospective buyer acknowledges that technical knowledge such as that acquired by professional inspectors may be required to detect certain defects such as the presence of asbestos, building code violations, and floodplain status.
I acknowledge receipt of a copy of this statement.
Prospective buyer ........................................... Date .................
Prospective buyer ........................................... Date .................
Prospective buyer ........................................... Date .................
709.03 AnnotationThere is nothing in this section or s. 709.02 that requires a seller to provide details of specific safety and health hazards associated with any property defect. Sellers of real estate are required to disclose general descriptions of potential defects in the property. In the case of a natural gas pipeline, this chapter does not require a seller to disclose all potential problems that could foreseeably arise as a result of the pipeline’s presence. Hoekstra v. Guardian Pipeline, LLC, 2006 WI App 245, 298 Wis. 2d 165, 726 N.W.2d 648, 03-2809. 709.03 AnnotationSection 709.02 (1) and the statutory form under this section clearly set out the reasonable expectation regarding who may rely on a real estate condition report. In s. 709.02 (1), “prospective buyer” refers specifically to a buyer already in contract with the seller. Thus, that term in the context of the statute must be limited to a future buyer within the specific transaction at issue. The statutes establish that a seller must reasonably expect reliance by only the prospective buyer in the current transaction. Pagoudis v. Keidl, 2023 WI 27, 406 Wis. 2d 542, 988 N.W.2d 606, 20-0225. 709.033709.033 Vacant land disclosure report form. The report required under s. 709.02 with respect to real property, as defined in s. 709.001 (5) (b), shall be in substantially the following form and shall include at least all of the following information: VACANT LAND DISCLOSURE REPORT
DISCLAIMER
This disclosure report concerns the real property located at .... in the .... (city) (village) (town) of ...., county of ...., state of Wisconsin. This report is a disclosure of the condition of that property in compliance with section 709.02 of the Wisconsin Statutes as of .... (month) .... (day), .... (year). It is not a warranty of any kind by the owner or any agents representing any party in this transaction and is not a substitute for any inspections or warranties that the parties may wish to obtain.
A buyer who does not receive a fully completed copy of this report within 10 days after the acceptance of the contract of sale or option contract for the above-described real property has the right to rescind that contract (Wis. Stat. s. 709.02), provided the owner is required to provide this report under Wisconsin Statutes chapter 709.
NOTICE TO PARTIES REGARDING ADVICE OR INSPECTIONS
Real estate licensees may not provide advice or opinions concerning whether or not an item is a defect for the purposes of this report or concerning the legal rights or obligations of parties to a transaction. The parties may wish to obtain professional advice or inspections of the property and to include appropriate provisions in a contract between them with respect to any advice, inspections, defects, or warranties.
A. OWNER’S INFORMATION
A1. In this form, “aware” means the “owner(s)” have notice or knowledge.
A2. In this form, “defect” means a condition that would have a significant adverse effect on the value of the property; that would significantly impair the health or safety of future occupants of the property; or that if not repaired, removed, or replaced would significantly shorten or adversely affect the expected normal life of the premises.
A3. In this form, “owner” means the person or persons, entity, or organization that is the owner of the above-described real property.
An “owner” who transfers real estate that does not include any buildings is required to complete this report.
Exceptions: An “owner” who is a personal representative, trustee, conservator, or fiduciary appointed by or subject to supervision by a court, and who has never occupied the property transferred is not required to complete this report. An “owner” who transfers property that has not been inhabited or who transfers property in a manner that is exempt from the real estate transfer fee is not required to complete this report. (Wis. Stat. s. 709.01) A4. The owner represents that to the best of the owner’s knowledge, the responses to the following questions have been accurately checked as “yes,” “no,” or “not applicable (N/A)” to the property being sold. If the owner responds to any question with “yes,” the owner shall provide, in the additional information area of this form, an explanation of the reason why the response to the question is “yes.”
A5. If the transfer is of a condominium unit, the property to which this form applies is the condominium unit, the common elements of the condominium, and any limited common elements that may be used only by the owner of the condominium unit being transferred.
A6. The owner discloses the following information with the knowledge that, even though this is not a warranty, prospective buyers may rely on this information in deciding whether and on what terms to purchase the property. The owner hereby authorizes the owner’s agents and the agents of any prospective buyer to provide a copy of this report, and to disclose any information in the report, to any person in connection with any actual or anticipated sale of the property.
CAUTION: The lists of defects following each question below are examples only and are not the only defects that may properly be disclosed in response to each respective question.
B. ENVIRONMENTAL
C. WELLS, SEPTIC SYSTEMS, STORAGE TANKS
D. TAXES, SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS, PERMITS, ETC.
E. LAND USE
F. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
OWNER’S CERTIFICATION
NOTE: Wisconsin Statute section 709.035 requires owners who, prior to acceptance of a purchase contract or an option to purchase, obtain information that would change a response on this report to submit a complete amended report or an amendment to the previously completed report to the prospective buyer within 10 days of acceptance.
The owner certifies that the information in this report is true and correct to the best of the owner’s knowledge as of the date on which the owner signs this report.
Owner ................................................ Date ..............
Owner ................................................ Date ..............
Owner ................................................ Date ..............
CERTIFICATION BY PERSON SUPPLYING INFORMATION
A person other than the owner certifies that the person supplied information on which the owner relied for this report and that the information is true and correct to the best of the person’s knowledge as of the date on which the person signs this report.
Person ..................................... Items ....................................... Date .................
Person ..................................... Items ....................................... Date .................
Person ..................................... Items ....................................... Date .................
BUYER’S ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The prospective buyer acknowledges that technical knowledge such as that acquired by professional inspectors may be required to detect certain defects such as the presence of asbestos, building code violations, and floodplain status.
I acknowledge receipt of a copy of this statement.
Prospective buyer ........................................... Date .................
Prospective buyer ........................................... Date .................
Prospective buyer ........................................... Date .................
709.035709.035 Amendments to report. If at any time after completing a report, whether the original or an amended report, but before acceptance of a contract of sale or option contract an owner obtains information or becomes aware of any condition that would change a response on the completed report, the owner shall submit to a prospective buyer, within the time required under s. 709.02, a complete amended report or an amendment to the previously completed report, along with a copy of the previously completed report if not already submitted to the prospective buyer, that states all of the following: 709.035(3)(3) The date of the report being amended. 709.035(4)(4) The number of any statement on the report that is affected by the new information. 709.035(5)(5) How the owner’s original response to the statement is changed and, if the response is changed to “yes”, an explanation of the reason why the response to the statement is “yes”. 709.035 HistoryHistory: 1995 a. 180. 709.04709.04 Indication of compliance. An owner shall indicate compliance with this chapter on the contract of sale or option contract, on the closing statement or in an addendum to one of those documents. 709.04 HistoryHistory: 1991 a. 162; 1995 a. 180. 709.05709.05 Right to rescind. 709.05(1)(1) Except as provided in sub. (2) (b), if a buyer receives a report after submission of a contract of sale or option contract to the owner or the owner’s agent, the buyer may, after receipt of that report by the prospective buyer and before the applicable deadline, rescind in writing a contract of sale or option contract if a defect, as defined in the report, is disclosed, without any liability on his or her part, and a buyer is entitled to the return of any deposits or option fees paid in the transaction. A prospective buyer who receives a report that is incomplete or that contains an inaccurate assertion that an item is not applicable and who is not aware of the defects that the owner failed to disclose may, within 2 business days after receipt of that report, rescind in writing a contract of sale or option contract without any liability on his or her part and is entitled to the return of any deposits or option fees paid in the transaction. A report under s. 709.03 or 709.033 is considered complete only if the owner answered, or supplied information under s. 709.035 for, each item on the report. 709.05(2)(a)1.1. Except as provided in subd. 2., a buyer may not rescind a contract of sale or option contract under this section if he or she receives a complete report before submitting the contract of sale or option contract to the owner or the owner’s agent. 709.05(2)(a)2.2. Unless par. (b) applies, a buyer under subd. 1. who, after submitting the contract of sale or option contract to the owner or the owner’s agent, receives an amended report, or an amendment to the report previously received, that discloses a defect that was not disclosed in the report previously received may, after receipt of the amended report or amendment to the report and before the applicable deadline, rescind in writing the contract of sale or option contract and is entitled to the return of any deposits or option fees paid in the transaction. 709.05(2)(b)(b) A buyer may not rescind a contract of sale or option contract under this section on the basis of a defect disclosed in a report, amended report or amendment to a report if the buyer was aware, or had written notice, of the nature and extent of the defect at the time the contract of sale or option contract was submitted to the owner or the owner’s agent. 709.05(3)(3) Rescissions under this section are timely if they are delivered to the owner or the owner’s agent within 2 business days after the prospective buyer or the prospective buyer’s agent receives the report, amended report or amendment to the report. 709.05(4)(4) The right to rescind under this section is the only remedy under this chapter. 709.06709.06 Good faith. The owner shall perform each act, and make each disclosure, required by this chapter with honesty in fact.