Home Sale Law in Maine

The decision to buy or sell a house, or other piece of real property, is very critical. For most, it's one of the most crucial financial decisions of their life.

Because of the complexity of these issues, most persons in Houlton, Maine don't opt to sell real estate themselves, even though there are no laws barring them from doing so.

Therefore, many people decide to go through a real estate broker when they're buying or selling a house. A real estate broker is a professional who serves as an intermediary between buyers and sellers. They can make the procedure much easier, helping deal with the tedious details and formalities.

In Houlton, Maine, real estate brokers are normally compensated with a percentage of the home's sale price.

Getting a Mortgage in Houlton, Maine

Any direct questions asked of the seller by the buyer must be answered truthfully. This is particularly the case if the buyer asks about defects in the property. If the seller lies in response to such questions, they have just committed a very significant form of fraud. If the buyer later discovers this defect (after buying the property) he can sue the seller for any physical or financial harm caused by it.

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. Usually, 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.

As a buyer, you should be aware that you have some commitments in this area, too. Buyers are expected to be diligent. Failure to do so might prevent the buyer from recovering in a lawsuit.

Consequently, 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 Houlton, Maine Real Estate Attorney help?

Buying a house can be an exciting, but challenging, experience. Most home buyers want to focus on the positive aspects that come with home-ownership, and ignore the tedious paperwork and legal issues. A reliable Houlton, Maine real estate attorney can enable this.