Home Sale Law in Pennsylvania
When you are about to buy or sell a home, there are various things that must be considered, not the least of which being the many legal and financial decisions you have to make.
While it's possible in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for individuals to buy or sell property on their own, this is not the only (or necessarily best) option. There are many complicated legal and financial issues involved, so the assistance of a professional is advisable.
For that reason, it's normally 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 assist 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.
Some Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania real estate brokers charge a flat fee, but most take a relatively small percentage of the sale price of a house they assist a client sell.
Getting a Mortgage in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Real Estate Attorney help?
If you are buying a home in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 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 seasoned real estate attorney can make it much easier to focus on the aspects of home ownership that matter to you.