Gibbons Law Firm: Buying A House: Do You Need An Attorney?

Buying a house is a thrilling process. It is the start of a brand new chapter in your life, one filled with countless possibilities and responsibilities. Your home will likely be the biggest purchase/investment you make in your lifetime. Not only will you want to be confident that you are making a wise choice financially - you'll want to be confident that your interests and rights are protected.

Buying A House At The Lake

In a legal sense, buying and selling homes involves the transfer of real property. This transfer process requires that certain extensive procedures must be correctly followed in order for the transaction to be legally valid. Because they are immersed in the processes on a daily basis, most real estate agents are well-versed in the standard negotiations and contracts that are used in typical transactions. However, these standard contracts cannot account for the unique variations that may present within certain individual transactions. Therefore, it may be wise to consult with a Lake of the Ozarks real estate attorney as you prepare to buy or sell a home.

Why Should You Consider An Attorney?

Since multiple people buy and sell homes without involving an attorney, you may be wondering what purpose an attorney can serve in the process. Here are a few of the different reasons why involving an attorney may be beneficial.

Listing Your Home
Unless you choose to For Sale By Owner, contacting a real estate agent to list your home will likely be your first step when you choose to sell your home. An attorney can help you evaluate the standard broker contract to ensure that it will meet your needs in the event that any unexpected situations should arise or in the event that a transaction ultimately does not occur. Your attorney can also explain the terms of the contract to you and help you to negotiate changes within the contract (before it is signed) if certain aspects do not meet your needs.

Buying A Home
As the buyer, you hope to purchase a title that is free and clear - one without any title issues, liens, or extraneous factors that may inhibit your use or enjoyment of your new property. For example, there may be tenants that are currently leasing part of your new property, or you may learn about property damage or hazardous material on the property after the transaction has been finalized. An attorney can help you navigate any unusual situations that may occur. Your attorney can also help evaluate the appropriate contracts to ensure that they meet your needs.

Finalizing The Transaction Process
There is countless paperwork and a seemingly endless list of details that must be attended to during the transfer of real property. If you are financing a significant portion of the transaction via a mortgage loan, there will be even more paperwork involved. An attorney can help ensure that every document is prepared correctly and can advise you on the legal implications of each step of the process.

Contact Gibbons Law Firm To Begin The Process

Buying a home is a complex and involved process. There are multiple ways that a real estate attorney may be of assistance during the transaction process, but it is impossible to discuss the full scope of a real estate attorney's role in a single article such as this.

If you are contemplating buying or selling a house at the Lake of the Ozarks and would like more information about how a real estate attorney may be of assistance, contact Gibbons Law Firm in Osage Beach. Our experienced real estate attorney has helped facilitate multiple real estate transactions, and our team would be honored to put our experience to work for you.

Call us at 573-348-2211 to schedule your free consultation.