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Virginia's Reaction To An Implied Warranty In Real Estate Transactions: Bruce Farms, Inc. V. Coupe, Deborah C. Welsh

University of Richmond Law Review

Years ago, caveat emptor was the rule in real estate transactions. A home buyer's own inspection was considered reliable in determining if the house was structurally sound and habitable. Today, the situation is different. Potentially troublesome conditions in a house are easily concealed, and inspection by the buyer may not reveal latent defects. For this reason, the doctrine of implied warranty has replaced caveat emptor in many jurisdictions.