First Time Home Buyer? 2 Ways A Real Estate Lawyer Can Help You

Posted on: 10 May 2017

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If you are a first-time home buyer, it can be a lengthy process. This can be very confusing for most people but especially for someone who is buying a home for the first time. You never know what issues may come up so you should hire a real estate lawyer to help you. This will ensure you will get into your new home without any problems. Below are two things the real estate lawyer can help you with so you can get into your new home.

Help with Signing Contracts and Disclosure Agreements

You will have a lot of paperwork to look through when you buy a home. Before you sign anything, however, you need to know exactly what you are signing. This is because some of the documents you are presented with are disclosures instead of contracts. Other documents are actual contractors and when you sign a contract you are legally bound by it.  For example, if you sign a disclosure you agree that you received a copy of the agreement listed on the disclosure when you may not have.

If you sign a purchase agreement contract, you are stating that you will give the seller a certain amount of money and the seller will give you the deed. The amount of money shown may not be what you agreed upon. This agreement is the most important document you will sign when buying a home. Even though the forms are generally standard, your attorney can explain them to you, as well as make any changes or additions, if needed. Many issues may come up, such as:

  • The property has hazardous waste
  • The property may have been altered and it was done unlawfully.
  • An inspector may find lead-based paint, asbestos, or termites in the home.
  • The closing may not take place, and if so, you need to know what will happen with your down payment.

Do a Title Search

Before you sign the purchase agreement, the real estate lawyer will do a title search. A title search ensures the seller can legally sell their home. For example, they may not have the mortgage, there may be a lien on the property, etc.

There may also be problems with the property lines that would prevent you from making any changes to the property. This could be something like a fence that you want to put up and you think you are on your property but you may find out you are going over the property line.

 A real estate lawyer will likely hire a land surveyor to determine this information. The surveyor can get the title and check the boundary lines on the property. This will ensure you are not paying for land that you will not own. The real estate lawyer will also go over the title to ensure it is set up correctly.

Talk with a real estate lawyer about this information, as they can give you many more details. They can also tell you other things they can help you with.