Sellers relying on the doctrine of “caveat emptor” could easily find themselves in for a rude awakening. Beginning in the mid-twentieth century and continuing through the present day, New Jersey courts have steadily moved away from caveat emptor and toward mandatory disclosure of latent items (i.e., items which are not readily observable by purchasers conducting inspections), with buyers permitted to raise post-closing claims based on the nondisclosure. In two recent decisions, New Jersey courts have held that sellers have a duty to disclose “latent” defects to a buyer regardless of any “as is” language in the sale agreement.

Dalmazio v. Rosa, 2015 N.J. Super. Unpub. LEXIS 326 (App. Div. Feb. 20, 2015).

In Dalmazio, the Appellate Division overturned the Law Division's grant of summary judgment on a home purchaser's common-law fraud claims. The defendant, a contractor, purchased a home with the intent of demolishing it and building a new home for his personal use. Upon realizing that a demolition and rebuilding was not feasible, he decided to renovate the house instead (which renovations included extensive foundation work). While the renovations were underway, the plaintiff inquired about purchasing the property, expressing a desire to purchase the property in its current condition, with the interior being completely unfinished except for the wall studs.