Sellers in most of the country deal with one disclosure regime: the state's. In Minneapolis and St. Paul there's a second layer, and missing it causes real problems at closing.
What TISH Is
Truth in Sale of Housing is a city ordinance requirement, separate from state law. Before you offer a home for sale, a city-licensed evaluator inspects it and produces a report that has to be available to prospective buyers. It applies to single-family houses, duplexes, townhouses, and first-time condominium conversions.
The evaluator is a private contractor licensed by the city, and they set their own prices, so it's worth calling more than one. The report must be completed before the property is shown, and it becomes part of what buyers see. Failing to comply carries penalties — this isn't a formality you can skip.
St. Paul runs its own version of the same program. If your property is in either city, assume it applies and confirm the specifics with the city.
What TISH Is Not
Here's the part that causes the most confusion: a TISH report does not obligate you to make repairs. It documents conditions and flags items, some of which may be marked as required repairs that the city expects to be addressed — and in many cases those obligations can be assumed by the buyer rather than completed by the seller before closing.
It is also not a full home inspection. Buyers routinely order their own inspection on top of it. A TISH report is a disclosure document, not a warranty and not a clean bill of health.
How It Fits With Minnesota's Disclosure Law
Minnesota's disclosure statute (Minn. Stat. §§ 513.52–513.60) is a broad standard rather than a checklist: you must disclose in writing all material facts you are aware of that could adversely and significantly affect an ordinary buyer's use and enjoyment of the property.
Minnesota layers several stand-alone disclosures on top: a well disclosure (§ 103I.235), a subsurface sewage treatment system disclosure for septic properties (§ 115.55), radon disclosure with delivery of the state's radon publication under the Radon Awareness Act (§ 144.496), and disclosure of known methamphetamine production.
One provision matters a great deal for as-is sales: Minn. Stat. § 513.60 allows the buyer and seller to waive the written disclosure by mutual written agreement. That's part of why a cash as-is transaction is administratively simpler — though it does not license anyone to conceal a known defect, and the city's TISH requirement is separate and still applies.
What This Means If Your House Needs Work
Sellers with rough properties sometimes treat TISH as a reason to panic. It isn't. The report will list what's wrong. That's its job. A dated furnace, knob-and-tube wiring in an older St. Paul home, a garage that's seen better days — these show up, and the house still sells.
What TISH does is remove your ability to be vague about condition, which changes who your realistic buyer is. Retail buyers using conventional or FHA financing get nervous, and their lenders sometimes balk. Cash buyers read the same report and price it in.
The Short Version
If your home is in Minneapolis or St. Paul, budget for a TISH evaluation, get it done before you market the property, and don't assume a bad report kills the sale. It documents condition; it doesn't force you to fix anything before you sell. We buy homes with rough TISH reports regularly, and the report frequently makes the conversation easier because everyone is working from the same information.
Check current requirements and the list of licensed evaluators directly with the city at minneapolismn.gov.