Home Sale Law in Montana

Buying or selling a house can be an exciting but stressful time in a person's life. It also requires a person to make a large number of possibly life-changing financial and legal decisions.

While there are no laws in Columbia Falls, Montana against persons buying or selling real estate on their own, this is rarely the ideal way to go, given the many legal issues surrounding the sale of property.

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

In Columbia Falls, Montana, brokers typically receive compensation in the form of a percentage of the sale price of the home.

Getting a Mortgage in Columbia Falls, Montana

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 substantialt liability.

Moreover, most defects should be disclosed even if the buyer doesn't directly ask about them. Usually, defects which must be disclosed are those which are known to the seller, and which the buyer cannot be expected to find through a regular inspection.

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

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

Can a Columbia Falls, Montana 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 reliable Columbia Falls, Montana real estate attorney can help you focus on the positive aspects, and avoid dealing with the most difficult and tedious (but nonetheless necessary) aspects.