Buying a house is one of the most significant and costly purchases you will ever make. Because buying a house is often a long-term investment that can cost you a considerable part of your savings, you may want to ensure that you consult the proper real estate professionals before you commit to anything. Besides a real estate agent, hiring a real estate lawyer is also recommended.
Hiring a real estate lawyer is more than just hiring someone to read the fine print: a real estate lawyer can help safeguard your rights and interests before you commit yourself to a significant transaction such as a home purchase or sale. In this article, we discuss why you should consider hiring a real estate lawyer before you make or accept a real estate offer to purchase or sell your home.
1. A lawyer can help safeguard your interests
Just like a real estate agent, a real estate lawyer can help you safeguard your rights while buying or selling a house, but in different ways. While a real estate agent can help you find your dream house and negotiate a good price, a lawyer is trained to give you legal advice and can spot or address legal issues that may arise that a real estate agent may not be trained to do. A real estate lawyer works for you during the real estate process, representing your interests, and negotiating legal terms on your behalf. Your lawyer can assist you in navigating the complexities of real estate transactions and can function as a safeguard. Just like real estate agents, lawyers are obligated to act in your best interests and can help to give you additional peace of mind as you take the next step toward homeownership.
2. A lawyer can increase transparency
Someone needs to read all the documents and comprehend their contents before you sign them and agree to their terms. Hiring a real estate lawyer to review your real estate agreements and documents and aid in negotiations from the start of your real estate transaction can help ensure transparency so that you know what the transaction entails. You may rely on your lawyer to explain complex legalese, advise you on your legal rights and obligations, and ensure that your needs are properly communicated, represented, and documented during this process before you sign on the dotted line.
3. Real estate lawyers have legal experience
Your real estate lawyer may have experience handling a variety of real estate transactions. They should have a breadth of knowledge in real estate transactions, and they should thoroughly understand real estate laws that may help identify pitfalls or other legal issues that you may not have considered. It’s highly recommended to have legal support to help you navigate the real estate transaction and to minimize your legal risks in your real estate transaction.
4. A lawyer can help protect you from financial loss
A real estate lawyer can help protect you against financial loss. For example, if the house is discovered to have severe problems, such as mold, a leaky roof, or even an oil tank in the yard, a sales contract without legal protection clauses addressing these problems can be quite costly for the buyer. Engaging a real estate lawyer can help protect you through their suggestions of various legal options that you can consider before you complete the transaction. A real estate lawyer may even help negotiate the inclusion of the terms of sale in the contract so that the buyer can be protected if problems are discovered. The earlier you act, the more options you may have to remedy these problems. As the Latin saying goes in real estate law, it’s a caveat emptor, or buyer beware.
Are you looking for a real estate lawyer in Richmond?
If you are looking for a real estate lawyer in Richmond, contact us at Bernard Lau and Co. Our team is ready to answer your questions, help you resolve real estate legal issues, and assist you in your next real estate transaction.
Call us today at +1.604.285.5240 or contact us at info@bernardlau.com
The content on this website is provided for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal or other professional advice or an opinion of any kind. Users of this website are advised to seek specific legal advice by contacting members of Bernard Lau and Co. (or their own legal counsel) regarding any specific legal issues. Bernard Lau and Co. does not warrant or guarantee the quality, accuracy or completeness of any information on this website and should not be relied upon as being proper, accurate, timely or fit for any particular individual’s own circumstances other than for educational purposes.
Accessing or using this website does not create a lawyer-client relationship. Although your use of the website may facilitate access to or communications with members of Bernard Lau and Co. via e-mail transmissions or otherwise via the website, receipt of any such communications or transmissions by any member of Bernard Lau and Co. does not create a lawyer-client relationship. Bernard Lau and Co. does not guarantee the security or confidentiality of any communications made by e-mail or otherwise through this website.