Whether it’s your first, or you’re hoping it will be your last, buying a house can be an exciting time. It can also be a bit nerve-racking — between finding the perfect home, having it inspected, negotiating a price, and signing all the right paperwork, buying a house isn’t easy.
Which is why we’re here to help. Below is some of our best legal advice for buying a home, from the FindLaw archives:
1. 5 Things to Know Before Buying a House
You know you’re in the market, but that’s about all you know. Get started here with everything else you need to consider before purchasing a house.
2. 3 Tips for First-Time Home Buyers
The good news: you might be in line for some tax breaks if this is your first house. The bad news: there’s a lot more to consider as a first-time home buyer.
3. Buying a Home: Get to Know the Rent-to-Own Process
If you thought buying a house was just about putting a chunk of change down and signing up for a decades-long mortgage, think again. Home buyers have more options when it comes to financing.
4. What Is Title Insurance?
It’s not exactly like insuring your car. Title insurance protects you if it turns out the seller did not have clear ownership of the property, or if there were undetected liens, tax complications, or fraud issues.
5. Can I Back out of an Offer to Buy a House?
You said, “Yes,” but now you’re having second thoughts. Offer and acceptance is a quirky area of contract law, so make sure you know where your stand before you throw out a number on a home.
6. What to Do If You Bought a Haunted House
So your new home came with some uninvited guests. Is there any way to back out of buying a house if it came with ghosts and ghouls?
7. Preparing to Meet a Real Estate Attorney
The best way to ensure the home buying process runs smoothly is to get legal help right from the start. Talk to an experienced real estate attorney before you begin the search for your new home.
