By Michael A. Jones - PREC* | Royal LePage Kelowna
You remember replacing the hot-water tank. You think the basement renovation had a permit. And that ceiling stain? The roof was repaired years ago.
When you are preparing to sell, those memories become questions a buyer may rely on. A little preparation can help you answer clearly without overstating what you know.
For Kelowna homeowners, property disclosure deserves a place beside pricing, photographs and cleaning on the pre-listing checklist. Start while there is time to find records and get advice, rather than trying to remember everything during offer negotiations.
1. Understand what the form does
A Property Disclosure Statement, usually called a PDS, records information the seller provides about the property. BCFSA explains that completing the form is voluntary. That does not remove applicable disclosure obligations or make inaccurate answers harmless.
BCFSA distinguishes a seller's common-law duty concerning certain hidden defects, including those making a home dangerous or unfit for habitation, from the broader disclosure duties imposed on real estate licensees. Those broader duties also address issues such as defects involving great repair expense, certain authority notices and missing required permits.
Whether a particular issue requires disclosure depends on the facts. Bring it to your REALTOR® and, where necessary, a lawyer. Avoid deciding for yourself that a concern is too small, too old or already repaired to mention in that discussion.
2. Build a simple property-history folder
Collect what you already have before trying to fill every gap. A digital folder is fine; a labelled paper file works too. The useful part is being able to find the document that supports an answer.
- Repairs and replacements: invoices, contractor reports, warranties and dates for major work.
- Renovations: plans, permits, inspection records and correspondence about additions, suites, decks or system changes.
- Past problems: reports and records relating to leaks, drainage, structural concerns or other issues you have dealt with.
- Earlier purchase documents: the disclosure statement and inspection report you received when buying, where available.
- Official correspondence: relevant municipal notices or instructions concerning the property.
These are starting points for review, not a declaration that every item must be handed to every buyer. Discuss what is relevant and how it should be shared. Keep unrelated personal information out of the package.
If you have owned the home for decades and are now downsizing, work through its history in stages. Start with the roof and exterior, then plumbing and heating, then alterations. That can be more manageable than trying to recall thirty years in one sitting.
3. Separate facts, recollections and unanswered questions
Try making three short lists: what the records establish, what you remember, and what still needs checking. This is preparation for completing the actual form, not a replacement for it.
For example, an invoice might show that a contractor repaired a leak in 2022. Your recollection might be that you have not noticed further water since then. Whether the underlying cause was fully resolved may require a qualified professional's assessment. Those are different statements.
Likewise, finding a permit number should prompt a check of the relevant records rather than an assumption that every later alteration was covered. Discuss missing documents with your REALTOR® and the appropriate local authority.
Read each question carefully, including any period it asks about. Answer from your actual knowledge. If you genuinely do not know, say so accurately; if you do know something relevant, do not replace it with a convenient guess or a vague reassurance.
4. Give past repairs enough context
A repaired problem and an ongoing problem are different, but a repair does not automatically answer every question on a disclosure form.
Consider a hypothetical roof leak. Useful preparation might include when you noticed it, who investigated, the work documented on the invoice and what you have observed since. Avoid turning a limited repair into a sweeping claim that the entire roof is problem-free.
BCFSA's consumer guide explains that some defects are discoverable through a reasonable inspection, while others are hidden. A buyer's inspection is valuable, but it may not reveal a problem inside a wall. Discuss the known history before assuming the inspector will find everything.
For technical questions, use the appropriate qualified professional. An invoice can document work performed; it cannot, by itself, establish the condition of every component in the home.
5. Treat limited knowledge carefully
Perhaps you are selling a rental, helping with an estate, or dealing with a home you have never occupied. Explain the limits of your knowledge without assuming those circumstances erase information you actually possess.
BCREA's guidance on property disclosure and non-disclosure discusses the risks of crossed-out forms and broad disclaimers. It encourages honest, complete answers based on current knowledge and legal advice when a seller is concerned about disclosure risks.
Ask which current form and approach fit your situation. Do not copy wording from an old transaction and assume it protects you now. You complete your answers; your REALTOR® can review them with you and help identify questions requiring further advice.
6. Keep the conversation open through the sale
If you discover a new leak, receive a notice or learn that an earlier answer was wrong, tell your REALTOR® promptly. BCREA advises sellers to flag changes affecting the disclosure so the appropriate update can be considered. The right response may depend on the stage of the transaction and its terms.
Keep dated copies of the documents and correspondence. A short, orderly record is easier to work with than several versions scattered through email.
My role is to help you organize the information, identify gaps and bring the right questions to the right professional. Clear preparation gives us a stronger starting point when buyers ask about the home.
Let's review your selling plans and property records before your home goes on the market.
Related reading: Selling Next Spring? Start With These Fall Home Checks and Compare the Whole Offer, Not Just the Price.
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General information, not legal, engineering or inspection advice. Examples are hypothetical. Disclosure duties, forms and contractual obligations depend on the facts and applicable law. Obtain independent legal advice about your specific situation and qualified technical advice about property condition. Sources checked November 1, 2026. *Personal Real Estate Corporation