What Real Estate Professionals Need to Know About Homes With Septic Systems
Many home buyers seeking to purchase houses with septic systems these days are unfamiliar with septic systems and may not fully understand the responsibility they would potentially take on by becoming a septic owner and operator. While this doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t buy the house or operate the septic system, it does mean that there’s a lot they will need to learn, and one of the best-suited people to educate these buyers on septic systems is their real estate agent.
Of course, that means real estate agents need to know a good deal about septic systems too. This isn’t necessarily a standard area of training in real estate, but with just a little bit of effort there’s plenty of information out there for agents to teach themselves so that they can best serve their clients in this regard.
Here are some guidelines and resources for real estate agents handling home sales featuring septic systems.
- Always know without a doubt if a property is on a sewer or has a septic system, and be sure to disclose this to potential buyers as well as any existing problems with the system. This may seem like a very basic and obvious step, but if a buyer is unaware of a septic system and any problems the system may have, it can lead to catastrophe. Check out this forum thread about a family who bought a house having been incorrectly told it was on a public sewer and the costs they faced when the septic “erupted” two weeks after move-in — No real estate agent should be opening up the possibility of a situation like this.
- Next, understand how the basic operation and maintenance of a septic system works, and be able to explain this to buyers who are brand new to the concepts. Depending on how you learn best, there’s plenty of resources available to explain the basic functioning of a septic system on the internet, from YouTube to our Resource Library to the Private Well Class Septic 101 webinars to the National Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association’s library.
- Know the estimation for how often the listed house’s septic should be pumped out, and be able to explain the pumping schedule and requirements to buyers. You should also tell them the last time the tank was pumped and when it will likely need to be pumped again. The main determinants for pumping frequency are the number of occupants (number of bedrooms can be a shortcut as well) and the size of the septic tank in gallons. Here’s a chart illustrating pumping frequency:

- Coordinate with the sellers to provide records of pumpouts, maintenance, repairs, inspections, and the original installation to the buyers.
- Many people who haven’t lived on a septic system before aren’t aware of the need to efficiently manage water usage to prevent overloading of the system. For example, showers and loads of laundry and dishes should be spread out and not clustered together. It also helps to fix leaks and install water-efficient appliances. Homebuyers should be alerted to this as well when considering properties with septic systems.
- Provide resources to help buyers learn about their new septic systems, including resources on pumping, water use, and other operation & maintenance. Great places to look for these kinds of resources include NOWRA’s homeowners resources (especially their User Guide), the EPA’s Septic hub (particularly in the SepticSmart section), and the Onsite Sewage Treatment Program at University of Minnesota Extension. Many other states’ university extensions will also have similar resources. You can also try searching the ‘Consumer Information’ filter in our Resource Library!
- Communicate the pros AND cons of septic system ownership. Pros include saving money from no sewer bills or property taxes, the environmental advantage of properly maintained systems, and the closer attention that septic systems require to toilet, sink, and water usage. Cons include high costs to install, replace, or repair; possible groundwater contamination; and the potential for deeply unpleasant messes in the case of poor maintenance or septic failure. You can find a lot of articles or videos discussing septic pros and cons out there, but this is a fairly comprehensive post to consider starting with.
- Know the septic professionals in the area of the property for sale, and connect the buyers with them. This will provide buyers a place to start when they need to begin septic pumping, maintenance, repair, etc.; and septic professionals will be able to better answer any more detailed questions buyers might have. Different categories of septic professionals include pumpers, installers, maintenance providers, designers, and inspectors/environmental health professionals. Some professionals will fall into multiple of these categories. Use Google or NOWRA’s Septic Professional Locator Tool.
- Finally, make sure the buyer gets a professional inspection done of the system before finalization of the sale to be sure that the sellers are telling the truth about its condition or to uncover any unknown issues. The question of who should pay for the inspection (buyer or seller) can be determined between the two parties.
Real Estate Professionals and Private Wells at the Private Well Class
Our sister program, the Private Well Class, has recently begun developing resources for real estate professionals, including a new webinar on ‘What Real Estate Professionals Need to Know About Homes with Well Water’ recorded in late September 2024. Private wells and septic systems often go hand in hand on a property, so very often a real estate agent will need to know the details of both a well and septic system on one property. Find the Private Well Class page for real estate professionals here.
Sources and Other Resources
- Buying and Selling Homes at the Illinois Extension Septic Systems division.
- 4 Tips for Realtors with Septic System Home Listings at Crew Environmental
- Septic System Education for Real Estate Professionals at Advanced Septic Services
- Septic System Basics: What Real Estate Agents Need to Know with Core Inspection Group (Webinar Recording) from Keller Williams Empower
- Real estate agents at the University of Minnesota Onsite Sewage Treatment Program.
- The University of Minnesota also presents a four-hour course approved for real estate and appraiser continuing education credits from the Minnesota Department of Commerce. Contact the OSTP office for more information on this course.