Home Sale Law in New York

Buying or selling a house can be an exciting but stressful time in a person's life. It also requires a person to make a large number of possibly life-changing financial and legal decisions.

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

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.

Elmsford, New York real estate brokers are usually paid by taking a pre-determined portion of the house's sale price.

Getting a Mortgage in Elmsford, New York

First and foremost, if a buyer asks any question of the seller relating to physical defects in the property, the seller must, under all circumstances, be as truthful as possible. In this case being "as truthful as possible" means answering such questions to the best of your knowledge, and making reasonable efforts to find the answers if you don't know them. Lying in this case is very bad idea, and will expose you to serious civil penalties

There are some defects, however, that the seller should disclose whether asked or not. Generally, 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 directly asks. This will greatly reduce the chances of the seller being held liable for any defects.

Buyers, nonetheless, also have duties in this area. A buyer will not be rewarded for refusing to exercise due diligence.

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 Elmsford, New York 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 Elmsford, New York real estate attorney can help you focus on the positive aspects, and avoid dealing with the most difficult and tedious (but nonetheless necessary) aspects.