Grand Rapids Home Seller Disclosure Requirements (2026)
Michigan's Seller's Disclosure Statement (SDS) governs Grand Rapids seller obligations. The 72-hour buyer rescission right is Michigan's distinctive feature. Grand River flood zone properties, radon (common in Michigan), lead paint in historic Heritage Hill and Eastown homes, and basement water intrusion are the main local issues.
Michigan SDS Framework
MCL 565.951 et seq. (Michigan's Seller Disclosure Act) requires the Seller's Disclosure Statement. Sellers must deliver the SDS to buyers before accepting a purchase offer. Buyers have 72 hours after receipt to rescind the contract.
The 72-hour window: Your purchase agreement should be structured so it becomes binding only after the 72-hour SDS rescission period has passed. Some Michigan purchase agreements are structured with a contingency period that incorporates SDS delivery — confirm with your transaction attorney or the buyer's agent.
Michigan's SDS uses "Yes/No/Don't Know" format. "Don't Know" is a valid answer for conditions you genuinely have no knowledge of.
Grand River Flood Zone — Kent County
The Grand River flows through downtown Grand Rapids and through numerous Kent County communities. FEMA flood maps designate SFHAs along the Grand River and its tributaries. Kent County communities with significant flood zone properties:
Check msc.fema.gov. If in a SFHA, buyers with federally backed loans must carry flood insurance. Disclose any flooding history during your ownership.
Lead Paint in Grand Rapids Historic Neighborhoods
Heritage Hill (one of Michigan's largest historic districts, containing over 1,300 homes) and adjacent Eastown and East Hills neighborhoods contain dense pre-1920 housing. Heritage Hill has Victorian, Queen Anne, and Tudor Revival homes that are almost universally lead-painted.
Federal Lead-Based Paint Disclosure (EPA Pamphlet + LBP Disclosure Form) is required for all pre-1978 homes. For Heritage Hill homes, lead paint is essentially universal. FHA loan buyers may require remediation of deteriorating paint surfaces before loan approval.
Radon in Kent County
Michigan's EPA designates Kent County as Zone 2 (moderate radon potential, 2–4 pCi/L predicted average). However, individual home testing can reveal Zone 1 levels (>4 pCi/L) depending on soil conditions and home construction.
Michigan's SDS has a radon section. Disclose any testing results. Mitigation systems ($800–$2,000) are readily available and effective. A tested-and-mitigated home is more marketable than an untested one.
Basement Water Intrusion
Michigan homes virtually all have basements. Kent County's clay and glacial till soils create significant groundwater pressure in wet seasons. Spring thaw and heavy rainfall seasons create peak basement water intrusion risk.
Disclose:
Buyers in Grand Rapids expect sump pumps — they're standard. What's material is flooding history and any known drainage failures.
Michigan Transfer Tax
Michigan charges a state transfer tax of $7.50 per $1,000 + county tax of $1.10 per $1,000 = $8.60 per $1,000 total. On a $350,000 sale: $3,010. Seller typically pays.