Do I have to mitigate radon to sell my house in Iowa City?
Short answer: Iowa law does not require mitigation before sale, but it does require disclosure. In practice, most buyers in Iowa City request mitigation as a condition of closing when test results are above 4.0 pCi/L. Sellers usually pay or credit at closing.
Iowa real estate law requires sellers to disclose any known radon test results, but it does not legally require mitigation before sale. So technically, no — you can sell a home with elevated radon as long as you disclose it.
In practice, though:
- Most buyers test during the inspection period — a 48-hour radon test is now nearly standard in Iowa City home inspections
- If results come back above 4.0 pCi/L, the buyer almost always requests mitigation as part of negotiation
- The seller usually pays — either by installing before closing, or by issuing a credit at closing for the buyer to handle it post-purchase
The most common arrangement we see in Iowa City: seller pays for mitigation, install happens after offer acceptance and before closing (we can typically schedule within 7–10 days), post-install retest confirms levels under 4.0, deal closes on schedule.
If you're listing your home, we recommend testing before you list. If levels come back elevated, you'll have time to mitigate proactively and remove the issue from negotiation entirely. Mitigated homes often sell for the same price as untested homes — homes with disclosed elevated radon and no mitigation often sell for less or stall.