Home Sale Law in Iowa

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

In Iowa City, Iowa, 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.

Therefore, it's usually a good idea to use a real estate broker for these transactions. A real estate broker is a professional who helps people buy and sell property. They can help buyers find sellers, and vice versa. They can also handle a large percentage of the tedious details.

In Iowa City, Iowa, real estate brokers are typically compensated with a percentage of the home's sale price.

Getting a Mortgage in Iowa City, Iowa

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 significantt liability.

Furthermore, most defects should be disclosed even if the buyer doesn't directly ask about them. Generally, 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.

Buyers, nonetheless, are not off the hook in this matter. If they ignore defects that they could have quickly discovered, they probably won't be able to recover for them.

Buyers have to conduct reasonably-diligent inspections of land they want to buy. If they refuse to do so, they can't sue for any defects which they could have easily discovered.

Can a Iowa City, Iowa Real Estate Attorney help?

When buying a house, most individuals want to focus on the aspects that actually 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 Iowa City, Iowa real estate attorney could be invaluable.