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 potentially life-changing financial and legal decisions.
In Schenectady, New York, 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 Schenectady, New York, brokers typically receive compensation in the form of a percentage of the sale price of the home.
Getting a Mortgage in Schenectady, New York
If the buyer asks the seller a question about the physical condition of the home, the seller is legally bound 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 substantialt liability.
Moreover, most defects should be disclosed even if the buyer doesn't directly ask about them. Usually, defects which must be disclosed are those which are known to the seller, and which the buyer cannot be expected to find through a regular inspection.
Of course, buyers are also expected to conduct due diligence. In a lawsuit for nondisclosure, courts won't reward a lack of diligence.
Usually, buyers have a duty to conduct a reasonable inspection of the property before buying it. Therefore, buyers typically can't recover for defects that could have been discovered via reasonable inspection, unless the seller actively conceals them.
Can a Schenectady, New York Real Estate Attorney help?
If you are buying a home in Schenectady, New York, 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.