Property owners who live in Florida decide to sell the Illinois duplex they own. The property has been managed by a property manager. Their listing agent tells the owners they must complete a Residential Real Property Disclosure Report in compliance with the Illinois Residential Real Property Disclosure Act, but they do not know anything about the current condition of the property. What should the property owner do?

Ignoring the requirement to fill out the disclosure form is not an option, regardless of the owner's location. Property owners must comply with state laws applicable to the property, and living out of state does not exempt them from their legal obligations related to property sales in Illinois.

While the listing agent can assist in the process, they cannot solely complete the disclosure form on behalf of the property owners. The law requires that the property owners provide accurate information based on their knowledge, making it imperative for them to be involved in the disclosure process.

Although hiring a certified inspector is a prudent step for understanding the property's condition, the disclosure form must still be completed by the property owners themselves. The owners are responsible for the disclosures and cannot delegate this task to an inspector, as it is based on their knowledge and awareness of the property.