Field Guide to Lead-Based Paint

(Updated March 2007)

For many years, lead-based paint was used almost universally in homes and apartment units in the U.S. until it was found to have detrimental impacts on human health, especially in children. As with any environmental hazard, lead-based paint testing, disclosure and liability are issues of serious concern to REALTORS®. The following articles, studies, websites, and other resources provide information on all aspects of lead-based paint for REALTORS® and property managers, including disclosure issues, impacts on the industry, and lead poisoning prevention. (Karen Swanson, Information Specialist)

Contents: 

Available in the Realtor.org Store  |  Lead Paint Disclosure Requirements  |  Liability Concerns  |  Lead Paint & Housing Today  |  Useful Websites  |  Books, eBooks & Other Resources

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Lead Paint Disclosure Requirements

The Lead-Based Paint Disclosure Rule, (U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, Jan. 30, 2007). - HUD's website includes information on disclosure requirements under the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992, with a summary of the rules, interpretive guidelines, and pamphlets and forms in English and Spanish.

Residential Lead-Based Paint Disclosure Program, Section 1018 of Title X, (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Jan. 5, 2007). - EPA's website provides a second option for accessing many of the same resources available on the HUD website above.

The List Issue 2005 - Real estate law in a nutshell: lead-based paint, (REALTOR® Magazine, Mar. 2005).

Factsheet: EPA and HUD move to Protect Children from Lead-Based Paint Poisoning; Disclosure of Lead-Based Paint Hazards in Housing, (HUD/EPA, Mar. 1996).

Questions & answers on the EPA/HUD disclosure rule, (HUD/EPA, n.d.).

Lead-based paint disclosure rules do not require disclosure to third parties, (Letter of the Law, Nov. 2004).

For buyer's reps, lead law unclear, (REALTOR® Magazine, Aug. 2004).

Sellers and landlords could face hazards for not disclosing lead-based paint, (Realty Times, Mar. 18, 2004).

Turning the corner on lead-based paint, (Journal of Housing & Community Development, May/June 2001). Q

Lead-based paint: Enforcement at the crossroads, (Journal of Property Management, Nov./Dec. 1999). Q

Lead paint alert: Strategies for buyers, plus what you should tell before you sell, (Kiplinger's Personal Finance, Apr. 1997). Q

Reducing Lead Hazards When Remodeling Your Home, (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Feb. 2007).

Lead Safe Work Requirements to Protect Children During Renovation, Repair and Painting Activities, (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Jan. 5, 2007).

Study Shows Professional Remodeling Cuts Lead Levels, (Realty Times, Nov. 29, 2006).

Lead Paint, (Regulation, Summer 2006). Q

Lead paint still haunts older homes, (Realty Times, Feb. 14, 2004).

The prevalence of lead-based paint hazards in US housing, (Environmental Health Perspectives, Oct. 2002).

National Survey of Lead and Allergens in Housing: Final Report - Volume I: Analysis of Lead Hazards, (U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, Oct. 2002). - Select "Read Only" after opening the document

Relation between housing age, housing value, and childhood lead blood levels in children in Jefferson County, KY, (American Journal of Public Health, May 2002). Q

Lead Paint Safety: A Field Guide for Painting, Home Maintenance, and Renovation Work, (HUD/EPA/CDC, Mar. 2001).

Reducing Lead Hazards When Remodeling Your Home, (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Sept. 1997).

Lead Hotline: The National Lead Information Center, (EPA/CDC/HUD). - Provides the general public and professionals with information about lead hazards and their prevention.

HUD Office of Healthy Homes & Lead Hazard Control, (U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development). - Features information on lead paint disclosure, a list of insurers offering lead liability coverage, technical studies, information and outreach materials, an extensive collection of articles, and more.

EPA Lead Awareness Program, (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). - Website provides basic information for consumers on lead and its hazards, plus ways to protect children and families.

CDC Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, (U.S. Centers for Disease Control). - Includes lead FAQs, publications on health effects of lead, and a section of lead-related data & statistics.

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Books, eBooks & Other Resources

Books, Videos, Research Reports & More

The resources below are available for loan through Information Central.  Up to three books, tapes, CDs and/or DVDs can be borrowed for 30 days from the Library for a nominal fee of $10.  Call Information Central at 800.874.6500 for assistance.

Brush with Death: A Social History of Lead Poisoning, (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2000).

Putting the Pieces Together: Controlling Lead Hazards in the Nation's Housing, (U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, 1995).

Home Inspector's Guide to Training the Real Estate Professional: An Overview of the Home Inspection Process, (Hurricane Press, 1998).

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The inclusion of links on this Field Guide does not imply endorsement by the National Association of REALTORS®. NAR makes no representations about whether the content of any external sites which may be linked to this Field Guide complies with state or federal laws or regulations or with applicable NAR policies. These links are provided for your convenience only and you rely on them at your own risk.