Real Estate Law in West Virginia

The real estate industry in Point Pleasant is controlled by a wide variety of laws, and these laws can affect the process and outcome of basically any transaction or deal involving the sale, lease, or use of land.

The law controlling real estate in Point Pleasant can get pretty complicated, especially when things such as mortgages, disputes about construction defects, and conflicts over title are involved.

Therefore, it's a good idea to learn some of the basics of Point Pleasant's real estate laws.

Knowing the law can serve you in a variety of ways: it can put you in a better negotiating position, it can help you spot unlawful terms in lease agreements, and confirm that you know your rights if a disagreement arises, among other things.

Common Real Estate Law Issues in Point Pleasant

Financing: Most individuals are unable to make major real estate purchases in Point Pleasant with cash, because few people have that kind of money on hand. Thus, to buy real estate, most entities use a mortgage. This is a loan used to buy a piece of property. When the loan is issued, and the property purchased, the lender holds a security interest in the property until the loan is paid off, with interest.

Zoning: Zoning laws establish rules saying what kinds of buildings are authorized in various areas of a city or town. These rules serve a variety of purposes. For example, they normally protect residents by making it illegal for industrial facilities to be built in residential areas. This also protects industries, allowing them to do their business without being bothered by constant complaints and lawsuits from their residential neighbors.

Duty to Disclose: When buying a home in Point Pleasant, you are safeguarded by the law. The seller has a legal obligation to disclose to the buyer any defects of which the seller is aware, which the buyer couldn't detect through a superficial inspection. If you are selling a home, it's probably best to disclose every defect you know about, to guarantee that you aren't faced with a lawsuit from the buyer sometime in the future.

Implied Warranties: In Point Pleasant, every residential rental agreement carries with it a warranty of habitability, in which the landlord implicitly promises that the unit is fit for human habitation. This applies whether or not such a warranty is mentioned in the lease agreement, and it still applies even if the landlord tries to disclaim any such warranty. There are many circumstances that might make an unit uninhabitable. A few examples are a lack of electricity, no running water, or no heating.

Can a Point Pleasant Real Estate Lawyer Help?

Because the issues discussed above can get complicated for laypersons, if you have a real estate issue, such as an eviction, or a construction dispute, you should not hesitate to contact a Point Pleasant real estate attorney ASAP.