Home Sale Law in Michigan

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

In Washtenaw County, Michigan, it's perfectly legal for individuals to buy and sell homes without the assistance of a third party. However, this isn't the only option, and isn't always the best option, either.

For that reason, it's typically best to buy and sell property through a real estate broker. This is a person who helps a person buy or sell a home. They help as an intermediary between the buyer and seller, help sellers find buyers, and help prospective buyers. They also handle a great deal of the paperwork and other formalities involved.

In Washtenaw County, Michigan, brokers typically receive compensation in the form of a percentage of the sale price of the home.

Getting a Mortgage in Washtenaw County, Michigan

Any direct questions asked of the seller by the buyer must be answered truthfully. This is especially 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 serious 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.

There are some defects, however, that the seller should disclose whether asked or not. Usually, if the seller knows about any defects that are not readily apparent, he or she should disclose them to the buyer, whether or not the buyer specifically asks. This will greatly reduce the chances of the seller being held liable for any defects.

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

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

Can a Washtenaw County, Michigan Real Estate Attorney help?

If you are buying a home in Washtenaw County, Michigan, there are probably things you want to focus on other than paperwork and required inspections, such as the process of moving in, checking out schools, etc. A knowledgeable real estate attorney can make it much easier to focus on the aspects of home ownership that matter to you.