Pre-1978 housing, federal forms
Sell a House With Lead Paint Without Abating First
Most older Indianapolis houses can sell as-is. Federal lead disclosure still applies to target housing. A cash contract does not erase the pamphlet, the form, or the buyer’s inspection window.
- Local Indianapolis buyer
- A written cash offer
- Closing through a local title company
Can you sell a pre-1978 house with lead paint?
Usually yes, without completing abatement. Housing built before 1978 is generally target housing under EPA and HUD disclosure rules. You still disclose known lead-based paint, provide available records, give the EPA pamphlet, and allow an inspection opportunity unless the buyer agrees otherwise in writing. We do not test paint or certify that a house is lead-free.
Lead is not asbestos, and it is not “as-is means no paperwork”
Asbestos is a different material with different tests. The as-is page is the commercial condition path. This page is Title X disclosure for pre-1978 housing. EPA’s Lead-Based Paint Disclosure Rule implements 42 U.S.C. § 4852d, which EPA and HUD administer jointly. HUD’s half of the regulation text lives at 24 CFR Part 35 Subpart A.
This page is informational only and is not environmental, medical, or legal advice. Federal lead-paint disclosure is set out in EPA and HUD rules. Indiana’s residential disclosure form is a separate state statute. We do not determine lead content or supervise renovation that disturbs paint. Offers depend on review, access, title, and the facts of the house.
What the federal rule actually requires on a sale
- Disclose known lead-based paint and hazards, or that you have no such knowledge.
- Share available records and reports.
- Give the EPA pamphlet Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home.
- Give the purchaser a 10-day opportunity to inspect or assess, unless a different period is agreed in writing.
- Attach required warning language to the contract before the buyer is obligated.
Those are federal legal requirements for covered sales. They are not Indiana’s residential form, which is a separate statute explained on the disclosure page. A fiduciary estate sale can be outside the Indiana form and still be inside federal lead rules. Do not collapse the two.
Abate first vs disclose and sell as-is
Abatement is a project. Disclosure is a sale step. A cash buyer can purchase without a clearance letter; that does not waive federal disclosure.
| Topic | Disclose and sell as-is | Abate or encapsulate, then list |
|---|---|---|
| Who disturbs paint | Usually the buyer after closing, under renovation rules that apply to contractors. | You, if you sand, scrape, or gut before listing. |
| Financed buyers | Not trying to origination-clear lead work as a loan condition. | Some loans and insurers still ask questions after visual chips or peeling. |
| Tends to fit when | You will not fund abatement on a house you are leaving. | You are renovating anyway or chasing a retail buyer who wants clearance. |
Year built and any old lead reports are enough to start
You are not required to test before requesting an offer.
Renovation disturbance is a different federal conversation
Selling as-is changes who owns the house. It does not authorize unsafe sanding after closing, and it does not make peeling paint disappear. Contractor renovation that disturbs lead paint has its own EPA/HUD rules. We do not supervise that work. If the house also needs a general repair path, use the repairs guide. Closing is still title-company settlement.
Lead vs asbestos vs as-is
Federal pamphlet, inspection window, and as-is sales
Get a written as-is offer on a pre-1978 house
Share the address and year built if you know it. If we are the right buyer, you receive a written cash offer after we review the property.
No obligation · Takes less than 60 seconds for most people · We will follow up with next steps, not spam
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Call now and tell us about the property. If email is easier, use the contact page.
(463) 276-5712