Why We’re Telling You Everything

It’s not every day a seller hands over a long, detailed list of everything that needs attention. So we want to explain why Barbara, the owner, and I are doing it this way.

What Arkansas requires, and what we choose

In Arkansas, sellers aren’t required to disclose everything about a property. It’s largely a “buyer beware” state, which means the responsibility falls on the buyer to do their best to find out what’s going on with a home before they purchase it. What a seller can’t do is purposely try to hide something. That’s against the law.

We don’t just want to avoid hiding things. We want to bring everything into the light. Transparency matters deeply to us. It’s part of our personal integrity, and it’s simply how we want to live.

A disclosure list that works like a checklist

There’s also a practical side to this. Our disclosure document isn’t just a list of problems. It works as a checklist for whoever comes next. Alongside it, we’ve written a series of articles to help people who’d like to take on some repairs themselves, and for other items we’ve gotten estimates from reputable people. We can’t guarantee anything, but we can at least try to help the next owner get off to a good start.

Honest about the last nine years

I’ve lived here for nine years, and I’ve kept up the house as best I could. Still, some things just didn’t get done. Part of the reason is that Robert, my former husband and also a resident here, has had a lot of health challenges, especially since COVID. And I’ve focused more of my energy on the land than on the house.

Now we’re genuinely excited to get to know this house even better, and to learn what could be improved. If it’s cared for properly, this house can last a long, long time. It’s built to last. We want any buyer to know plainly that there are repairs to be made so it can fulfill its full potential. Considering the house and the metal building together, we believe it’s a fair value.

What we really hope is that someone will come here who shares our dream: expanding veganism around the world to grow compassion for all of life. We’d love every square inch of this land to be used for spreading that message, which we are both so passionate about.

At the same time, if someone buys this property who doesn’t share that dream, they’re welcome, of course. Whoever the buyer is, we want them to know all about the place they’re coming home to.

The golden rule

Barbara keeps saying that if she were buying a house, this is exactly what she’d want: to be told everything. She’s practicing the golden rule, treating the next owner the way she’d want to be treated. I think that is such a beautiful trait in my dear friend, and it’s the heart of why this disclosure list exists.

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The Seller’s Disclosure

225 Madison 3469, Huntsville, AR 72740

Seller, Barbara Hulley, purchased the property in 2017 in the hope of starting Jesus Vegans, a vegan community and event center, with Patricia Mikkelson. That never happened and seller has never been to the property. These disclosures are made from knowledge from Patricia, who has lived at the property since 2017. Seller has no firsthand knowledge of the property, and this document relies on facts from Patricia and Whit Sheppard, a property inspector.

Responses to the Arkansas Realtor Form where “yes” was stated

5. To your knowledge, are there any features of the Property shared in common with adjoining landowners, such as walls, fences, driveways, septic systems, water wells, satellite dishes, or shared meters or shared utilities?

Yes. There is an easement that has been granted from the owners of the property below seller’s property for a small portion of the driveway to the house.

10. To your knowledge, have there been any room additions, structural modifications or other alterations made to the Property since the Property was originally constructed?

Yes. According to Patricia, a cypress log shell was constructed on the property in 1999. It was unfinished until approximately 2008 when a new owner finished the inside of the house including doors, flooring, and plumbing fixtures.

A 40 x 60 foot insulated barn was built on the property in 2010.

18. To your knowledge, are there any encroachments, easements, leases, liens, mortgages or deeds of trust, contracts for sale or installment land sales contracts, adverse possession claims or similar matters that affect the Property that a title search would not reveal?

Yes. There is an easement that has been granted from owners of the property below seller’s property for a small portion of the driveway to the house.

20. To your knowledge are there any external noise problems or other nuisances that would not be normal for this type of property?

Yes. Patricia is not sure what normal means but sounds of cars, trucks and motorcycles can be heard coming from very low traffic Hwy 74. In the summer especially, there is the occasional sound of music and people talking at the nearby lake park. Music can be heard on rare occasions from other residences. The house is built below a steep hill and Patricia has heard people talking from the property above.

22. To your knowledge, are there any defects in the appliances or the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, heating and air conditioning, water, sewer, or septic systems of the property?

• The dishwasher is not working.
• HVAC does not work in the basement suite.
• The AC window unit doesn’t work in the barn.
• The water pump does not work in the barn but water is available from a hose in the bathroom.
• HVAC in the house was serviced by an HVAC technician approximately 4 years ago. It was repaired approximately 3 months ago by residents. It is possible that it will need to be repaired or replaced. The air conditioner is noisy.
• The spring which supplies the water for the house has a plastic bin that is being gnawed on by some creature. This may need to be replaced with something more permanent. The spring water which goes into the house becomes cloudy when it rains and filtering is advised.
• There have been at least two times since 2017 when there were problems with the spring and repairs were made, mainly repairing the plastic bin and PVC pipe. The water has always been available in the cisterns except when there was a problem with the mechanisms that supplied the water from the spring to the cisterns or if water was accidentally left on and the cisterns were drained dry. The pump has never burned up due to the water running dry.
• The spring requires regular maintenance.

24. To your knowledge has there ever been a problem with the roof on any of the improvements on the Property, such as defective shingles, damaged shingles, leaking or otherwise?

Yes. The barn roof has leaked minimally in one spot near the wood stove, but no leaking has been observed for approximately a year. (See also “The Roof” below.)

25. To your knowledge, are there any other defects in the property?

Yes. See “Other defects of the property” below.

34. To your knowledge, has there been any settling from any cause, or slippage, sliding, or other poor soil conditions at the Property or at adjacent properties?

Yes. See “Hillside, erosion and the 2022 flood” below.

35. To your knowledge, has there been any flooding, drainage, grading problems, or has water ever stood on the Property or under any improvement constructed thereon?

Yes. See “Hillside, erosion and the 2022 flood” below. Also: The back of the house is heavily shaded. After heavy or prolonged rain, especially in cooler weather, the concrete slab behind the house can hold a thin film of water (about 1/16 inch) that is slow to dry. Algae can grow on the slab under these conditions, and the surface may become slippery. The slab dries out when the weather warms, and the condition is not present at this time. Caution is advised when walking on the slab while it is wet.

36. To your knowledge, has there been any damage to Property or any of the structures from fire, earthquake, storms, floods or landslides prior to or during your ownership?

Yes. See “Hillside, erosion and the 2022 flood” below.

39. To your knowledge, are there any underground storage tanks of any kind located on the property?

Yes. There are two concrete cisterns which hold water from the spring.

41. To your knowledge are there landfills, hazardous waste, asbestos, radon gas, urea-formaldehyde, electromagnetic fields, or other substances that may affect the Property or the occupants of the Property?

Yes. Telephone poles and wires are about 40 ft from the house. EMF may radiate from these poles.

44. To your knowledge, have there been any problems with any private sewer or water system, septic system, water well or other system or utility servicing the property?

Yes. See the spring and barn pump items under question 22. This spring requires regular maintenance.

49. Does Seller or anyone in possession of the Property utilize audio or video surveillance in, on or about the Property?

Yes. Robert Kersbergen, a resident, has security cameras.

51. To your knowledge is there or has there ever been any past or present water intrusion?

Yes. See “Hillside, erosion and the 2022 flood” and “The Foundation” below.

52. To your knowledge, is there or has there ever been any presence of mold?

Yes. Basement Suite: There has been mold in the two downstairs rooms which do not have windows when there was not adequate air circulation in approximately February 2026. The mold was thoroughly cleaned, and no mold has been observed since.

Also in the basement suite approximately four years ago there was a thin layer of a grey substance on the bathroom ceiling and it was easily cleaned. It’s likely attributed to condensation from lack of a ventilation fan in the bathroom. Patricia is not sure if it was mold, mildew or something else.

Hillside, erosion and the 2022 flood (questions 34, 35, 36 and 51)

County Extension Agent Assessment, September 2026. The County Agent is not authorized to write a report for this property, so this is Patricia’s interpretation of what he said. He recommends a retaining wall. Patricia is in the process of sourcing a retaining wall specialist. The county extension agent visited and assessed the hillside, ditch, and path behind the house.

• He believes the trees are healthy.
• Water is causing erosion from the fact that there is a very steep hill that water will naturally flow down. He noticed erosion at the edge of the concrete slab. He doesn’t know anything about foundations so he cannot say if any water is getting into the foundation.
• He advised leaving all the leaves in place to build up the soil.
• He observed that the ditch on the path above appears to be holding: water coming from the clear-cut land upslope still flows into the ditch. The path is a good erosion deterrent because it breaks up a steep slope and allows for the ditch to be dug. He thought it was in good shape, and it is a good idea to rake out the leaves.
• He said the land looks good all the way up until about 100 feet from the edge of the clear-cutting. Basically, water is flowing down a steep hill no matter what.
• He recommended a retaining wall about 4 feet high at the bottom of the hill behind the house, backfilled with dirt so things can be grown in it, and advised getting a bid from a hardscaping landscaper.

Agent: Tyler Buchanan, County Extension Agent – Agriculture, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, Madison County office. Came by on 9-28-26. Phone: (479) 738-6826 (the Madison County Extension office). Office: 222 N. Gaskill, Huntsville, AR 72740, open Monday–Friday, 8:00–4:30.

Seller’s overall advice is for buyer to consult with an engineer regarding the flooding event described below.

In 2022 there was an unusually heavy rain over a period of days that caused flooding, erosion, water and silt to come down the hillside toward seller’s property from the adjacent property located at 1 Madison 3405, Huntsville, AR 72740. This adjoining property had recently been clearcut and bulldozed, leaving bare land that was not properly contoured to accommodate water dispersion under the pressure of this unusually heavy storm.

The water, silt and erosion reached the barn on seller’s property and dented a wall on the barn. There was around 1/4 inch of water and silt inside the barn which has since been cleaned. However, there is still a thin layer of silt that covers approximately one third of the barn floor which is hard to completely clean by sweeping. In addition there was about 1/2 inch of clay silt on the concrete parking in front of the barn driveway which was also cleaned up. No water and silt reached the house or the concrete slab behind the house.

The gravel driveway was washed out and almost made impassable. It was repaired so it could be drivable again.

To remedy the situation Robert Kersbergen, a retired former licensed general contractor, hired an excavator operator who dug a ditch. The ditch was dug along the wide path which had been cut into the hillside above the barn and the house previously. This path is on seller’s property. This diverted the water into the creek that runs on the south side of the barn which appeared to stop further damage.

Dan Rutz and Robert supervised a bulldozer operator who worked on the adjacent property which was clearcut. This work resulted in the water appearing to be diverted in such a way that it no longer was a threat to seller’s property.

In August 2026 at the west side of the barn a new French drain was installed, including a shielding system to divert water away from the barn.

Roger Hendrix, owner of Architectural Landscape Construction, said that there is some erosion behind the house that is coming down from the steep slope that is behind the house. He recommends a retaining wall.

Lake Access

The lake and park are privately owned by the Rutz Family Trust. Access is not deeded or guaranteed. Buyers should check in with trustee Joel Rutz. Read our article about lake access.

Age of Property

The county assessed the property as being built in 2003. Patricia disagrees. This entire account is according to Patricia’s research. She believes the cypress log kit shell was erected in 1999 by Frankie and Yurl Clayton, and that the house was empty until it was purchased by David Bollinger in approximately 2005, and that construction took place over the next two or so years until the interior was completed by David. David told Patricia that it was built before 2000. There is writing in the concrete at the end of the basement suite patio that says “the Claytons 1999”. The County Assessor’s record which says the house was built in 2003 is incorrect, according to Patricia, but this is the date that appraisers, lenders and others will be trusting. The County does appraisals of all buildings in the county every 4 years. She believes they did not assess the house in 1999 for some unknown reason. Jonathan Rutz, who has lived in the area since the late 1990s and who is the son of Bob and Joan Rutz, who bought the property on which the log house was built, has told Patricia that almost for sure the shell of the log house was built in 1999.

The Roof

Seller’s advice regarding the roof of the house is to have the screws checked by a professional.

The roof has had a leak that was seen by Chris and Lanae Mikkelson in approximately May 2026. It was leaking in the upstairs bedroom to the right at the top of the stairs. Lanae Mikkelson’s brother James Wilson fixed the leak and observed the following: “Some screws were missing rubber washers and some are getting very rusted out. I fixed the ones in an area that were leaking. But to prevent future leaks in the coming years it will need some TLC, with larger screws. It is a problem with exposed fastener metal roofing, needs some maintenance eventually.” This is the only time a leak was observed in the roof.

The Foundation

In October 2026 Patricia observed the following along the base of the house on the side next to the concrete pad:

1. Open joint between the concrete pad and the foundation. In several places there is an open gap where the concrete pad meets the foundation wall. The original sealant has worn out, and dirt and leaf debris have collected in the gap.
2. Downspouts empty at the foundation. Two downspouts empty directly onto the pad right beside the wall. Green algae staining along the base shows that water collects there after rain.
3. Hairline vertical crack in the foundation. A hairline crack runs up through the textured foundation coating to the bottom log. It does not appear to be shifted or widening. It has not been evaluated by a professional.
4. Gap beneath the bottom log. In one area there is a visible gap between the lowest log and the top of the foundation.
5. Small holes in some lower logs. A few small round holes appear in the lower logs. They may have been made by insects such as carpenter bees.
6. Leaves and soil collecting at the base. A wooded hillside slopes toward the concrete pad. Leaves, nuts, and soil gather along the foundation.
7. Past moisture in the basement suite. A resident living in the basement suite noticed moisture along the wall and on the floor. The source was never determined. After the moisture was cleaned up and a dehumidifier was used regularly, along with air conditioning in the house, the problem went away.

Read the Foundation Edge Disclosure and Repair Guide.

Other defects of the property

• Attic shows some bat guano from a past bat population; the bats are gone. Hardware cloth has been installed to keep the bats out, and guano has been removed as much as possible.
• Most banks will not give a mortgage for a house with spring water. Seller only knows of one bank that is willing to give a mortgage for a house with spring water.
• There is only one working spring on the property. The spring has flowed since 2017, but there is no guarantee regarding the future of the spring water flow. City water is not available.
• The property adjacent to the seller’s property potentially has a clear view of the seller’s property, including the log house. Sounds of people talking while on that property have been heard from the log house area. The adjacent property is currently for sale, and purchasing it would add additional privacy. See the listing.
• The refrigerator cutout next to the cabinets measures 36 inches. Because refrigerators require 1 to 2 inches of side clearance for proper ventilation and door swing, a standard 36-inch model will not fit or ventilate properly.
• Some of the boundary markers are from a previous survey and need to be confirmed with the surveyor.
• Highway 74, a two-lane highway, can be seen from the house, which sits on a hill. Patricia says she can hear cars and motorcycles going by. She’s gotten used to it, and it has never become a big problem for her. Madison County is growing fast, and she can’t say how busy the highway will be in the future. Road work along the lake has just started. It is scheduled through December and could run longer, possibly into spring, because the work is being done in winter. During the work, getting onto Highway 74 can mean waiting up to six minutes at a one-lane traffic signal. Read our article about the highway.
• Rattlesnakes, copperheads, and scorpions are present on the outside property. Ticks and chiggers are also inhabiting the outside area.
• There is a door on the far wall in the living room that is screwed shut for safety. It does not open and is required by the insurance company to be in this condition. It could be used for a ramp for handicapped access.
• Streaks that appear to be drip marks are on the wall behind the closet door in the primary bedroom. Streaks/drip marks are found in various places on the cypress walls. The source is unknown.
• The sink in the primary bedroom bathroom overflowed once; water flowed into the closet area, was caught very quickly and mopped up. The bottom outside of the sink cabinet has some damage from water.
• A similar incident occurred in the first floor bedroom. The sink overflowed once and was quickly mopped up. There is some damage to the cabinet. It leaked some water into the garage. No damage to the floor was observed.
• There is no overflow prevention in any sink or bathtub in the house.
• The interior staircase leading to the second floor has stair nosings (tread lips) that project approximately 1.5 inches beyond the riser. Buyers are advised that this projection exceeds standard building code maximums (typically 1.25 inches) and may present a potential tripping hazard.
• The air conditioner is noisy when it is on and is right outside the primary bedroom window.
• In first story bedroom #2 there is a broken pane in a window that has 6 separate sections. It is a double-paned window. The break does not appear to let in any air and has no jagged edges.
• Touch-up paint is needed in various areas on painted walls.
• Noise travels easily throughout the house.
• The driveway is somewhat steep in areas, and needs upkeep in the form of hand raking after a rain, using a box blade with a tractor, and just staying on top of repairs. At times when there have been heavy rains and upkeep was poor, it was almost impassable.
• In the garage: A small gap in a wall corner at the garage stairs was once stuffed with steel wool. It now looks rusty and frayed. A dead-animal smell was noticed nearby once, and it has since gone away. No signs of animals have been seen anywhere in the log house. The wooden stairs are bare, unfinished wood with old paint drips. There is a gap between the door frame and the wall at the doorway by the garage stairs. Read our article on small gaps and fixes.
• The last step going down into the garage and the last step coming down from the upper deck are shorter than the other steps on those stairs, about half as tall. When one step is a different height, people’s feet expect the same rhythm and can catch or stumble. Building codes generally allow no more than 3/8 inch difference between the tallest and shortest step in a flight of stairs. Until it’s corrected, marking the edge of those steps with contrasting paint or tape and using the handrail can help. A carpenter can adjust the step so all the heights match.
• The electric company administers herbicides every 6 years underneath the power lines on specific woody broadleaf vegetation. As far as Patricia knows, this has not been done on the property since she started living there in 2017. If the buyer wishes to prevent herbicide application on the property (for example, near private springs or wells), Carroll Electric offers a No-Spray Request / Maintenance Agreement.
• The property is on a slope, and people who have a hard time walking might find this difficult. The lawns are slightly slanted.
• Trees are touching the house and branches are hanging over the roof.
• A short stairway coming out of the laundry room going outside needs to be repaired because it is somewhat unstable.
• One post needs to be stabilized, connected to the stairs leading up to the deck in the front.
• The upper part of the house near the gables is hard to reach and needs to be re-stained.
• The property needs quite a bit of upkeep, including lawn mowing and weeding of gardens.
• The boulder cascade in front of the house has grown up with invasive vines. It is difficult to do yardwork in this area.
• The drawer to the left of the kitchen sink sticks a little bit.
• The door in the primary bedroom sticks at the bottom when opening.
• The stove has knobs that are melted.
• Six window screens are missing. Over the years some screens have been damaged.
• The oven releases air when opened due to lack of venting in the original construction.
• There are nails and screws on some of the walls of the house.
• The toilets get calcium deposits that can be cleaned by a pumice stick.
• The barn pump, which supplies water to the toilet, sink, and a shop sink, is not working. There is water from the spring that can be turned on from a hose in the bathroom.
• The double barrel stove in the barn has not been used for over 6 years, and needs attention before using. It did work well enough for a person to live in the barn during the winter.
• The first floor of the house only has bathrooms accessible via the bedrooms.
• Lots of lespedeza is growing in open places beside the lawn and in what used to be pasture areas. It is very invasive.
• The refrigerator hookup is placed in between cabinets, and there is no way a standard refrigerator will fit in that space.
• GFCI protection is not present in required areas (kitchen, bathroom, exterior, garage).
• A wasp nest is on the side of the house. The wasp nest will be taken down after the first frost, when the wasps have left on their own. We’ve chosen to wait so no insects are harmed, and since wasps don’t return to an old nest, it will be completely resolved at that point. After they have left it will be sealed up so that they can never return.
• Brown recluse spiders are in the house. They have been contained, and we recommend catch-and-release and taking them far away from the house, plus keeping them from coming in by sealing gaps around doors, windows, and where pipes enter the house. This will handle most situations without harming them.
• The garage door does not have a working remote opener. The button to open and shut the garage needs to be held down until it closes.
• Poison ivy can be prevalent behind the house.
• Rain gutters for the house are possibly too small.
• There’s no ventilation fan in the bathroom in the basement suite.
• The closet in bedroom #2 is very small.
• The window seat in the dining room is stained.
• The pantry gets very warm in the summer. It needs some kind of cooling if food is to be stored there.
• Mice have been a minor problem in the log house, and none have been observed since approximately August 2026. None have been seen in the basement suite.
• There were a lot of mice in the barn, and some kind of larger animal seemed to live there because large droppings were observed. Once a copperhead was discovered in a box. No sightings of any animal activity have been experienced since approximately August 2026.

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The introduction and the disclosures were written by Patricia, a resident of the Living Springs Log House, with help from Claude, an AI assistant made by Anthropic. The disclosure list is from the seller’s answers to the Arkansas Realtors disclosure form.