We are currently selling our home and have a question about seller disclosure. Beside our house, there is a large Dutch elm tree. It is diseased and will probably die in a couple of years. Our buyers have not raised any question about the tree, and the symptoms of the disease are not readily noticeable. Should we tell them about the tree or just let them enjoy it until it needs to come down?

In today’s litigious environment, it is never wise to withhold or abridge real estate disclosure. There are buyers out there who would sue over the loss of a tree with an undisclosed disease. So play it safe and disclose everything you know about the condition of your property. It is the way you would want to be treated if you were the buyer.

As for allowing a Boca Raton FL buyer to enjoy the tree for the time being, that enjoyment will have little intrinsic value when they eventually pay thousands of dollars to have the tree removed. If they should then suspect that you knew about the problem, you could find yourself wishing that you had said something before the property was sold.

Real estate agent Caesar Parisi stands ready with effective advice on buying or selling Boca Raton FL condos.

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