Buying a home is a complicated endeavor that can often become overwhelming. In fact, just one mistake made on a home purchasing contract can throw a wrench into the entire process. For this reason, many states require home buyers to have a lawyer on hand to supervise the signing of the purchasing contract and make certain that no mistakes are made or laws broken. With this in mind, take a look below at just three reasons why you should hire a real estate lawyer if you're thinking about buying a residential property.
Legal Advice
Though real estate agents are capable of performing a variety of tasks related to the buying and selling of a house, they are not allowed to advise on any legal matters. It's true that tricky issues of legality are not terribly common, but it's also true that when they do arise, hiring a lawyer is an absolute necessity. If you fail to consult with an attorney before purchasing a property, you may be in for some costly headaches down the road.
Changing Contract Language
The purchasing agreement is easily the most important document you'll see during the entirety of the home buying process, so it is of the utmost importance that you understand all of it, as well as its myriad implications. The easiest way to do this is by hiring an attorney that specializes in real estate transactions. If you find that a certain piece of language in the contract is not to your liking, or you're concerned that vague language allows unfair advantages on the part of the seller, a lawyer can help work to change it. Without a lawyer, you're stuck with a boilerplate contract that may not address all of your concerns.
Consulting on Future Actions
Buyer's remorse is a terrible thing, and rarely more so than when the buyer is a purchasing a home. Usually, this remorse comes about when a buyer realizes they're unable to legally do something because of restrictions they weren't made aware of during the purchasing process. This is where lawyers come in -- they can consult on possible future actions and how things such as easements affect them. Zoning is another contractual area that home buyers may want to explore with their lawyer before signing their name on the dotted line. No one wants to suddenly discover that they can't build a structure that they've always wanted to because of local zoning restrictions.
Share