Home Sale Law in Illinois

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

In Geneva, Illinois, it's perfectly legal for individuals to buy and sell homes without the assistance of a third party. Nonetheless, this isn't the only option, and isn't always the best option, either.

Many individuals, families, and small businesses rely on real estate brokers to find property for them. Real estate brokers are professionals who assist as middlemen or women between the buyers and sellers of real estate.

In Geneva, Illinois, real estate brokers are usually compensated with a percentage of the home's sale price.

Getting a Mortgage in Geneva, Illinois

If the buyer asks the seller a question about the physical condition of the home, the seller is legally required to answer it honestly. If the seller lies when asked a direct question, they have committed a serious form of fraud, and, if sued by the buyer, will incur considerablet liability.

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 know through a reasonable inspection, it has to be disclosed.

Buyers, nonetheless, also have duties in this area. A buyer will not be rewarded for refusing to exercise due diligence.

Thus, buyers must inspect the property before they buy it. If they don't, they can't sue for any defects they later become aware of, if an inspection would have revealed those defects.

Can a Geneva, Illinois Real Estate Attorney help?

When buying a house, most individuals want to focus on the aspects that really matter to them, such as moving in. For that reason, it's highly desirable that the process of buying and selling a house goes as smoothly as possible. To that end, a good Geneva, Illinois real estate attorney could be invaluable.