I just bought a house that had a fire, and I didnt know it until I tore down the walls. What is my recourse?

Question

Assuming the seller of the house knew there was a fire, and did not disclose it - is that fraud? If so, what is the recourse?

My concern is that we bought the house without knowing there was once a fire. But now that I know, I have to disclose it when I go to sell this house.

Now I am worried that this will make my house harder to sell or drop the value of the house.

Now, there doesn't seem to be any structural damage or smoke damage, as the fire was probably over 20 years ago (according to the inspector that came).

The owner lived there during that fire.

What do you think?

Answer 1

If you bought the house through a real estate agent, there should have been a disclosure form given to you. It would have included repairs, lead paint, damages, etc. If you bought from the owner without a realtor, you will need to check with the state to see what the laws are or contact a lawyer.

We bought a house that had burnt and knew it when we bought it. We sold the house last year and had to disclose that information.

Answer 2

This should have been disclosed to you. Call the real estate agent who handled the sale for you and get advise on what to do. If it isn't resolved for you, call a real estate attorney for advise.