Home Sale Law in Washington
If you are in the process of buying or selling a home, you're likely 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 Oak Harbor, Washington against persons buying or selling real estate on their own, this is rarely the ideal way to go, given the many legal issues surrounding the sale of property.
Therefore, 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 procedure much easier, helping deal with the tedious details and formalities.
Some Oak Harbor, Washington 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 Oak Harbor, Washington
First and foremost, if a buyer asks any question of the seller relating to physical defects in the property, the seller must, under all situations, be as truthful as possible. In this case being "as truthful as possible" means answering such questions to the best of your knowledge, and making reasonable efforts to find the answers if you don't know them. Lying in this case is very bad idea, and will expose you to serious civil penalties
There are some defects, however, that the seller should disclose whether asked or not. Typically, 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.
Buyers, nonetheless, also have duties in this area. A buyer will not be rewarded for refusing to exercise due diligence.
In general, buyers of real estate have to conduct diligent inspections of property they wish to purchase. A failure to do so might keep the buyer from recovering if they're injured by a defect which they could have discovered.
Can a Oak Harbor, Washington Real Estate Attorney help?
If you're in the process of purchasing an Oak Harbor, Washington home, the advice of an accomplished 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.