Home Sale Law in Pennsylvania

When you are about to buy or sell a home, there are many things that must be considered, not the least of which being the many legal and financial decisions you have to make.

While there are no laws in Kittanning, Pennsylvania against individuals buying or selling real estate on their own, this is rarely the best way to go, given the many legal issues surrounding the sale of property.

One good way to help a real estate sale or purchase go smoothly is to contact a real estate broker. These professionals can help you find the right house within your budget, or help you find suitable buyers for a house you're selling.

Kittanning, Pennsylvania real estate brokers are typically paid by taking a pre-determined portion of the house's sale price.

Getting a Mortgage in Kittanning, Pennsylvania

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.

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 discover through a reasonable inspection, it has to be disclosed.

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 Kittanning, Pennsylvania Real Estate Attorney help?

Buying a house can be an exciting, but difficult, 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 knowledgeable Kittanning, Pennsylvania real estate attorney can enable this.