Home Sale Law in West Virginia

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 it's possible in Clarksburg, West Virginia for individuals to buy or sell property on their own, this is not the only (or necessarily best) option. There are many intricate legal and financial issues involved, so the assistance of a professional is advisable.

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.

Some Clarksburg, West Virginia 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 Clarksburg, West Virginia

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 substantialt 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. Usually, 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.

Buyers, nonetheless, also have duties in this area. A buyer will not be rewarded for refusing to exercise due 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 Clarksburg, West Virginia Real Estate Attorney help?

As you can imagine, there are many more legal and financial issues that can affect the outcome of a real estate transaction. However, buying a house is also a very exciting time for most people. A reliable Clarksburg, West Virginia real estate attorney can help you focus on the positive aspects, and avoid dealing with the most difficult and tedious (but nonetheless necessary) aspects.