Real Estate Law in Illinois

Real estate law in East St. Louis regulates almost everything involved in the sale and use of land.

The large volume of laws regulating real estate in East St. Louis might seem overwhelming to the uninitiated. Indeed, they can get very complicated, especially when issues about title defects or construction disputes are involved.

Therefore, it's a good idea to learn some of the basics of East St. Louis's real estate laws.

Having at least some knowledge of real estate law will be to your advantage in basically any real estate transaction. Knowing the law can give you a bargaining advantage and prevent you from being saddled with obligations that you don't have to assume.

Common Real Estate Law Issues in East St. Louis

Financing: Not too many individuals or small businesses in East St. Louis can purchase real estate with the cash on hand, simply because land is expensive, and few people have hundreds of thousands (or even millions) of dollars in the bank. In buying real estate, a mortgage is an outstanding solution for most people. Of course, you still have to pay the full price of the real estate you're buying, but a mortgage allows you to do this in installments, over a period of years.

Zoning: Zoning laws dictate what types of buildings can go on given pieces of property. These laws are usually designed to ensure that residential areas are as clean and as quiet as possible, thereby preserving property values. They accomplish this by ensuring that other uses that might be inappropriate in a residential area, such as heavy industry, are in different parts of town. This also ensures that industries will be able to go about their business without constant complaints from their neighbors.

Duty of Disclosure: Sellers of homes are bound by a legal duty to disclose defects in the home to prospective buyers, before they buy the house. Any defect which the seller knows (or reasonably should know) about, and which cannot be discovered by the buyer through an average inspection, must be disclosed to the buyer.

Implied Warranties: Every lease of a residential unit in East St. Louis carries with it an implicit promise by the owner that the unit will meet some basic minimum requirements for human habitability. There are many factors that go into deciding if an unit is "habitable," but there are a few essentials, and they include running water, heat, electricity, and adequate shelter from the elements.

Can a East St. Louis Real Estate Lawyer Help?

Because the issues discussed above can get complicated for laypersons, if you have a real estate issue, such as an eviction, or a construction dispute, you should not hesitate to contact an East St. Louis real estate attorney ASAP.