Home Sale Law in Tennessee

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 no Athens, Tennessee law prohibits people from buying or selling land on their own, this is not always the best idea. There are many intricate issues that can affect the outcome of a property sale or purchase.

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 Athens, Tennessee, brokers typically receive compensation in the form of a percentage of the sale price of the home.

Getting a Mortgage in Athens, Tennessee

Any direct questions asked of the seller by the buyer must be answered truthfully. This is particularly 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 significant 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.

There are some defects, however, that the seller should disclose whether asked or not. Usually, 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.

As a buyer, you should be aware that you have some commitments in this area, too. Buyers are expected to be diligent. Failure to do so might prevent the buyer from recovering in a lawsuit.

Consequently, 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 Athens, Tennessee Real Estate Attorney help?

When buying a house, most individuals want to focus on the aspects that directly matter to them, such as moving in. For that reason, it's highly desirable that the process of buying and selling a house goes as smoothly as possible. To that end, a good Athens, Tennessee real estate attorney could be invaluable.