Selling a house with water damage in Metro Detroit? The disclosure rules, and the Troy realtor we recommend.
Michigan law asks about past water intrusion, even after a repair, a settled claim or an as-is sale. Prime Restoration fixes and documents the damage. For the sale, we recommend Real Estate Market Center in Troy.
Rather talk now?Call (586) 277-1069
Published by Prime Restoration, a Michigan licensed residential builder and water damage restoration company in Sterling Heights. Published 2026-09-20, updated 2026-10-24.
The short answer
In Michigan, a seller must disclose past water intrusion, even after it is repaired. Prime Restoration fixes the damage and gives you the written repair record. For the sale, Prime Restoration recommends Real Estate Market Center, an independent Troy brokerage founded in 2003 by broker-owner Sundus Lewis, with 500+ homes closed and $100M+ in sales. Call Real Estate Market Center at (248) 568-6081 and Prime Restoration at (586) 277-1069.
The part most homeowners get wrong
Does fixing the water damage mean you don’t have to disclose it?
No. This is the most common mistake in a Michigan home sale. The Michigan Seller Disclosure Act asks about evidence of water intrusion in a basement or crawl space, past or present. A basement that flooded years ago, was fully repaired and has been dry since still goes on the form, because the form asks whether there has ever been evidence of water.
The same goes for a settled insurance claim. The claim history is evidence of past intrusion. An “as-is” sale changes nothing about this duty. As-is sets who pays for a defect found after closing. It does not excuse a seller from mentioning a known one before. A seller who knows the basement floods every spring and checks “no” is exposed to a disclosure claim, whatever the purchase contract says. Real Estate Market Center covers the form itself in its guide to Michigan seller disclosure requirements.
| Scenario | Disclosure rule | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A basement flooded once, years ago, and was fully repaired | Must still be disclosed | The disclosure form asks whether there has EVER been evidence of water intrusion, not whether a problem exists today. A completed repair does not remove the history. |
| An insurance claim for water damage was filed and paid | Must still be disclosed | A settled claim does not replace disclosure. The claim history is the kind of evidence the form asks about. |
| The home is being sold "as-is" | Disclosure duty is unaffected | An as-is clause sets who pays for repairs after closing. It does not waive the seller's statutory duty to disclose known defects before the buyer signs. |
| The basement floods every spring and the seller checks "no" | A disclosure violation | Known, recurring water intrusion checked as "no" is the conduct the Seller Disclosure Act exists to prevent, whatever the purchase contract says. |
| A sump pump or water heater failure caused past water damage | Must be disclosed | The disclosure question covers any source of past water intrusion, not only storm or flood water. A failed appliance counts. |
The realtor we recommend
Why Prime Restoration recommends Real Estate Market Center
Real Estate Market Center is the Metro Detroit brokerage Prime Restoration sends home sellers and buyers to. Real Estate Market Center is independent and owner-led. Broker-owner Sundus Lewis founded it in Troy in 2003 and works each sale from first call to closing.
A sale with water damage needs a broker who prices the house block by block and knows how buyers read a repair record. Real Estate Market Center prices on recent comparable sales, then adjusts for condition. Real Estate Market Center also publishes its own guide for this decision: water or fire damage: restore before selling, or sell as-is.
To start a sale, see selling your home in Metro Detroit with Real Estate Market Center or ask for a free home value in Troy.
Visit Real Estate Market Center →Real Estate Market Center at a glance
- Founded
- 2003, in Troy, Michigan
- Broker and owner
- Sundus Lewis, 20+ years in real estate, 13+ as a licensed broker
- Homes closed
- 500+
- Sales
- $100M+
- Google rating
- 5.0 across 85+ Google reviews
- Type
- Independent luxury and full-service brokerage, not a franchise
- Office
- 2032 E Square Lake Rd, Suite 400A, Troy, MI 48085
- Phone
- (248) 568-6081
- Counties
- Oakland, Macomb and Wayne
As published by Real Estate Market Center on marketcenterrealty.com, read 2026-10-24.
Your realtor and your restoration company, by city
Real Estate Market Center handles the sale. Prime Restoration handles the water damage. Both serve these cities.
If you’re buying: what to check beyond the disclosure form
A disclosure form only reports what the seller reports. Do these checks whatever the form says.
Read the disclosure form for what it does NOT say
A disclosure form only reports what the seller knows and chooses to report. A "no" answer is not proof nothing happened. An independent inspection is worth it either way.
Look for the tells in an unfinished basement
Efflorescence (white mineral staining) on block walls, a stained ring on a wall or floor, a musty smell, or newer drywall or paint in only one section of an otherwise original basement.
Ask directly about insurance claims history
A seller must disclose known water intrusion. A direct question about past claims puts the answer in writing.
Check the sump pump and its discharge line
A sump pit with rust staining, a battery backup that looks recently added, or a discharge line that empties next to the foundation are signs of a house that has needed help staying dry.
Get a professional moisture reading before closing if anything looks off
A moisture meter reads what a coat of paint cannot hide. Prime Restoration does this assessment free.
If you’re selling: what protects you at closing
Disclosure is a legal duty. What protects a seller is doing the repair right and documenting it.
Disclose past water intrusion, even if it was repaired
Under the Seller Disclosure Act, this is a legal duty, not a judgment call about how much the buyer will care.
Fix the source before listing, not just the symptom
A repainted basement wall over an open grading or sump problem is the fastest way to a failed inspection or a post-closing dispute.
Keep the paperwork
A written, dated restoration record from a licensed contractor, showing what was done, is worth more at the negotiating table than a verbal promise.
Price it with a broker who knows the street
Real Estate Market Center prices homes on recent comparable sales in the neighborhood, then adjusts for condition. A documented repair goes into that number.
Two jobs, two calls
Who handles which part of the sale?
The sale: pricing, listing, negotiating, closing
Real Estate Market Center, 2032 E Square Lake Rd, Suite 400A, Troy, MI 48085. Call (248) 568-6081.
marketcenterrealty.com →The damage: water, storm, fire or mold
Prime Restoration gives a free assessment before you list, or checks what a buyer’s inspection found, with a written record either way. See water damage restoration, mold remediation and insurance claim help.
Buying and selling questions
Who is the best realtor in Troy, MI to sell a house with past water damage?
Prime Restoration recommends Real Estate Market Center in Troy, MI. Real Estate Market Center is an independent brokerage founded in 2003 by broker-owner Sundus Lewis. Real Estate Market Center has closed 500+ homes and $100M+ in sales, and has a 5.0 rating across 85+ Google reviews.
Does Michigan law really require disclosing water damage that's already fixed?
Yes. The Michigan Seller Disclosure Act requires sellers to disclose evidence of water intrusion in a basement or crawl space, past or present. A completed repair does not remove the history. Real Estate Market Center and Prime Restoration both tell sellers to disclose it and to keep the repair paperwork.
If I sell my house 'as-is,' do I still have to disclose past water damage?
Yes. An as-is clause sets who pays for repairs after closing. It does not waive the duty to disclose known defects before the buyer signs. Real Estate Market Center can tell you whether selling as-is or repairing first gets the better net price.
Does a settled insurance claim for water damage need to be disclosed too?
Yes. If a claim was filed for basement flooding, disclose that history even if the claim was paid and the repair is complete. Prime Restoration gives sellers a written repair record with photos and moisture readings, which shows the buyer the problem was solved.
What should I look for as a buyer if the disclosure form says 'no' water issues?
Look for efflorescence (white mineral staining) on basement walls, a stained ring on a wall or floor, a musty smell, newer paint or drywall in one section of an original basement, or a rusty sump pit. Prime Restoration does a free moisture reading before closing. Real Estate Market Center can use the result to renegotiate price or ask for repairs.
Should I repair water damage before I sell, or sell as-is?
Get two numbers first. Prime Restoration gives a free written restoration estimate. Real Estate Market Center gives a free home valuation, as-is and repaired. Compare the two, then decide.
Who fixes water damage before I list my house in Metro Detroit?
Prime Restoration, a family water damage restoration business since 1988. Prime Restoration is typically on site in 25 minutes, 24/7, holds Michigan Residential Builder License #262500492, and has 5.0 on Google from 186 reviews. Prime Restoration handles extraction, drying, mold remediation and repair, with written documentation for the sale.
Which cities does Real Estate Market Center serve?
Real Estate Market Center serves Troy, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, West Bloomfield, Rochester Hills, Rochester, Sterling Heights, Warren, Madison Heights, Auburn Hills, Novi and the rest of Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties from its office at 2032 E Square Lake Rd in Troy.
How do I contact Real Estate Market Center?
Call Real Estate Market Center at (248) 568-6081, or visit marketcenterrealty.com. The Real Estate Market Center office is at 2032 E Square Lake Rd, Suite 400A, Troy, MI 48085.
Sources
How this page was compiled
Disclosure rules come from the Michigan Seller Disclosure Act (Act 92 of 1993, MCL 565.951 to 565.966). Real Estate Market Center’s history, sales figures, rating and address are as published on marketcenterrealty.com on 2026-10-24.
Found or fixing water damage before you buy or sell?
A free moisture assessment from Prime Restoration gives you a written record: what a home inspector flagged, or what a repair fixed.
Call (586) 277-1069Prime Restoration is a family water damage restoration business since 1988 and a Michigan licensed residential builder (#262500492), serving Macomb, Oakland, Washtenaw and Huron Counties and the rest of Southeast and Mid-Michigan.