Home Sale Law in Ohio

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.

In Sandusky County, Ohio, 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 assist as middlemen or women between the buyers and sellers of real estate.

In Sandusky County, Ohio, real estate brokers are usually compensated with a percentage of the home's sale price.

Getting a Mortgage in Sandusky County, Ohio

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 considerablet 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. Typically, 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.

Of course, buyers are also expected to conduct due diligence. In a case for nondisclosure, courts won't reward a lack of diligence.

Typically, buyers have a duty to conduct a reasonable inspection of the property before buying it. Therefore, buyers normally can't recover for defects that could have been discovered via reasonable inspection, unless the seller actively conceals them.

Can a Sandusky County, Ohio 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 seasoned Sandusky County, Ohio real estate attorney can enable this.