Buying and selling residential real estate is oftentimes the biggest transaction people make in their lives. There are usually a whole host of professionals involved in the process, which often makes buying and selling real estate seem easy. But the assistance of those professionals comes at a great cost, which is why more Floridians are considering selling their homes on their own. While for sale by owner transactions can save you a lot of money in real estate agent commission fees, you need to make sure that you’re protecting your interests in both the short- and long-term as fully as possible.
Without a real estate agent, you need protection
Even if you choose to forego a real estate agent, which might be to your financial advantage, you need to make sure that you’re protecting yourself as fully as possible. This is why most, if not all, homeowners who hope to complete a for sale by owner transaction on their own should consider working with a trusted real estate attorney. Here’s how one of those attorneys can help.
- Title searches: You don’t want to complete a real estate transaction to later find that there’s no clear title or that there’s a lien on the property. This can just put your interests at risk. It can cost you a lot of money later down the road to correct these issues if you don’t catch them upfront. Don’t try to cut corners by conducting a lax title search.
- Proper approvals: Whether you want approval from a homeowner’s association to do something to a property before you buy it or you need an accurate survey and assessment to know exactly which property is in play, you need to know how to navigate the real estate transaction process.
- Negotiation: A real estate deal is nothing more than a large contractual transaction. Instead of being inundated with paperwork you don’t understand or signing off on limited information, consider working with an attorney who understands what needs to be completed and how.
- Closing: You need to know how to seal your deal so that it is legally sound. Failing to do so could lead to headaches further down the line that, once again, are costly to address later on.
Speaking with an attorney might put your mind at ease
Dealing with a for sale by owner transaction can be a little nerve-wracking. After all, the parties involved don’t always a full understanding of what they’re doing. That’s okay. That’s why skilled legal professionals like ours have extensive experience helping people navigate this process. So, if you want to make sure your protecting in one of these deals, don’t take a chance. Instead, talk to an attorney you know you can trust.
