FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – You’ve seen the movies or heard horror stories of people buying homes to only find out that someone died inside the house or on the property – so do realtors have to disclose if someone died before selling a home in California?

According to the California Association of Realtors, sellers in California are required to disclose all material facts relating to the value and desirability of the property. Officials say the seller must disclose any death relating to the property if:

• The death occurred on the property
• The deceased was an occupant of the property
• The death occurred within the past three years

According to realtor.com, in most cases, if someone has passed away peacefully in a house there’s no legal obligation in most states requiring that sellers disclose it. There are only three states that require a seller to disclose any death in a home or on the property – Alaska, South Dakota, and California.

In California, experts say any death on a property (peaceful or otherwise) needs to be disclosed if it occurred within the last three years. The seller must also disclose any known death in the home if the buyer asks, regardless of how long ago the death took place.

However, if the cause of death was related to HIV or AIDS then that information must not be disclosed.