Home Sale Law in Washington

If you are in the process of buying or selling a home, you're probably already aware of the many legal, financial, and other issues that can affect the process and outcome of such a transaction.

While there are no laws in College Place, Washington 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.

Accordingly, many people decide to go through a real estate broker when they're buying or selling a house. A real estate broker is a professional who serves as an intermediary between buyers and sellers. They can make the process much easier, helping deal with the tedious details and formalities.

In College Place, Washington, brokers usually receive compensation in the form of a percentage of the sale price of the home.

Getting a Mortgage in College Place, Washington

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.

Most significant defects (those which have any effect on the value or safety of the home) should be disclosed even if the buyer doesn't ask about them. If the seller knows of a defect, and a reasonable buyer wouldn't be able to discover it through a normal inspection, the seller must disclose it.

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

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

Can a College Place, Washington Real Estate Attorney help?

If you're in the process of purchasing a College Place, Washington home, the advice of an experienced real estate attorney can make the process much easier, and help ensure that no surprises come up. This will give you the peace of mind to actually enjoy your new home, rather than worry about it.