What Is a TISH and Do I Need One to Sell My Home in Minnesota?

If you are selling a home in the Twin Cities area, there is a good chance your city requires an inspection before you can even list the property. Most sellers do not know this until they hire an agent. Some sellers who have bought and sold before still forget about it. And if you skip it, you can be fined, your listing can be delayed, and buyers will get uncomfortable fast.

Here is what you need to know.

What Does TISH Stand For?

TISH stands for Truth in Sale of Housing. Depending on your city, you might also hear it called a Time of Sale inspection, a Point of Sale inspection, or a property maintenance inspection. Different name, same idea. 

The overall goal is to give potential buyers important information about a property's condition and to maintain safe and sanitary properties throughout the city. It is not the same as the buyer's home inspection, which is optional and privately arranged. The TISH is a city-required seller inspection, and it has to happen before you list. 

Which Cities Require One?

This is where it gets complicated, and honestly where a lot of sellers and even some agents get tripped up. The list changes. Cities add requirements. Cities remove them. A city that required a TISH a few years ago might not anymore, and a city that never had one might have added it recently.

These Minnesota cities currently require sellers to get a TISH inspection or similar report from a licensed evaluator: Bloomington, St. Louis Park, St. Paul, and South St. Paul. Additional cities including Maplewood, Richfield, New Hope, Columbia Heights, and others have their own versions of point of sale inspections or sewer line inspections required before closing.

Some cities do not require a full TISH but do require a sewer line or inflow and infiltration inspection. Cities including St. Anthony Village, Tonka Bay, and West St. Paul fall into this category. 

The honest answer is that the only way to know for certain is to look up your specific city. A quick search for your city name plus "selling a home" or "point of sale inspection" will usually surface the requirement if one exists. When I take on a new listing, verifying this is one of the first things I do.

What Does the Inspection Actually Cover?

Inspectors go through the house and rate everything according to today's building codes, including plumbing, electrical, heating, the attic, and the garage. The report focuses on risks to life or health. Most things that are outdated but not dangerous are considered grandfathered and do not require repair. Required fixes tend to be safety-related, things like electrical hazards, smoke alarms, and plumbing issues.

The report is public and must be available to potential buyers. A printed copy must be on display at the house whenever there is a showing. 

Do You Have to Fix What It Finds?

That depends entirely on your city, and this is an important distinction.

In Minneapolis, required repairs must be completed before or shortly after closing. If required repairs are not completed before closing, the buyer must sign an acknowledgment of responsibility and complete the required repairs within 90 days of closing. City of Minneapolis

In St. Paul, the TISH is disclosure only. The St. Paul report is intended to provide basic information to prospective buyers about the observed conditions of a dwelling. Repairs are generally not required by the city, with one exception being the hard-wired smoke detector requirement. Saint Paul Minnesota

Maplewood follows a similar disclosure-only approach. The Truth-in-Sale of Housing disclosure report is for disclosure purposes only and the sale is not contingent on the listed report deficiencies. Maplewood

Bloomington and Richfield operate more like Minneapolis, where identified code violations need to be addressed before a certificate of compliance is issued.

In most cities you can pass required repairs on to the buyer if they are willing to accept them. However, doing so complicates the sale. Most everyday home sales go more smoothly when the seller handles the repairs and closes with a clean certificate. Passing repairs to the buyer is more common in estate sales and investor transactions.

What Is a COA or COC?

Once required repairs are completed, most cities issue either a Certificate of Approval or a Certificate of Compliance. This document confirms the home has met the city's requirements and is often needed to close. If your city requires one, do not wait until the last minute to get it. The reinspection process takes time.

How Much Does It Cost?

Costs vary by city and by inspector, but you can generally expect to pay in the range of $200 to $300 for the inspection itself, plus a city filing fee that typically runs $25 to $35. Rates vary from company to company and inspectors set their own fees.

How Long Is It Valid?

In most cities a TISH report is good for one year or one sale. In Minneapolis it is good for two years or one sale. If your report expires before you sell, you have to start over with a new inspection. 

Why Timing Matters

This is the piece sellers most often underestimate. If your TISH comes back with required repairs and those repairs are weather-dependent, like certain exterior work or septic-related items in rural areas, you may not be able to complete them in the winter months. That can push your listing date back significantly.

Getting the TISH done early gives you time to handle anything that comes up without it derailing your timeline. It is one of the first things I verify and coordinate when I take on a new listing, because surprises here are avoidable ones.

The Bottom Line

If you are not sure whether your city requires a TISH, the safest thing to do is ask your agent before you start planning your timeline. A good agent will know, or will find out immediately. Listing without a required inspection can result in fines, a delayed listing, and buyers who walk away before you ever get to the negotiating table.

Call or Text Erica 612.382.1304.