Home Sale Law in Illinois

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 Galesburg, 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 serve as middlemen or women between the buyers and sellers of real estate.

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

Getting a Mortgage in Galesburg, 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 significantt 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. Generally, 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 should remember, nonetheless, that if they are not blameless in their failure to discover defects, they might not be able to recover if they sue.

Therefore, 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 Galesburg, Illinois 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 reputable Galesburg, Illinois real estate attorney can help you focus on the positive aspects, and avoid dealing with the most difficult and tedious (but nonetheless necessary) aspects.