Home Sale Law in California

Buying or selling a home is one of the most crucial decisions that most people make in their lifetime. It also involves some very complex legal and financial issues.

While it's possible in Butte County, California for individuals to buy or sell property on their own, this is not the only (or necessarily best) option. There are many complicated legal and financial issues involved, so the assistance of a professional is advisable.

One good way to help a real estate sale or purchase go smoothly is to retain a real estate broker. These professionals can help you find the right house within your budget, or help you find suitable buyers for a house you're selling.

In Butte County, California, real estate brokers are usually compensated with a percentage of the home's sale price.

Getting a Mortgage in Butte County, California

Any direct questions asked of the seller by the buyer must be answered truthfully. This is especially the case if the buyer asks about defects in the property. If the seller lies in response to such questions, they have just committed a very serious form of fraud. If the buyer later discovers this defect (after buying the property) he can sue the seller for any physical or financial harm caused by it.

In addition to disclosing any material facts the buyer directly inquires about, most "latent defects" in a house or other piece of property should be disclosed whether the buyer asks or not. Typically, any defect that the seller knows about and that the buyer can't be expected to discover through a reasonable inspection, it has to be disclosed.

Of course, buyers are also expected to conduct due diligence. In a lawsuit for nondisclosure, courts won't reward a lack of diligence.

Typically, buyers have a duty to conduct a reasonable inspection of the property before buying it. Therefore, buyers normally can't recover for defects that could have been discovered via reasonable inspection, unless the seller actively conceals them.

Can a Butte County, California Real Estate Attorney help?

As you can imagine, there are many more legal and financial issues that can affect the outcome of a real estate transaction. However, buying a house is also a very exciting time for most people. A brilliant Butte County, California real estate attorney can help you focus on the positive aspects, and avoid dealing with the most difficult and tedious (but nonetheless necessary) aspects.