Buying a home can be treacherous. You rely upon many other people to guide you, but sometimes those folks fail you. Take care of yourself and do some of your own minimal investigation. If you are purchasing in Minneapolis or St. Paul, you can visit the websites for these cities and check on the inspection records for any home. You can also locate valuations over the past few years. Double check to make sure the home you are interested in is not on any City lists for vacant and unoccupied homes. In St. Paul, a home on that list cannot be legally sold unless you as the buyer agree to undertake all the work necessary to get it removed from the list; this is a City ordinance. Don’t rely, verify!
Category: Purchase Agreements and Disclosures
Toxic Chemical Vapors
New concerns about chemical vapors that may affect your sale or purchase of real estate in Minnesota: http://www.startribune.com/silent-but-toxic-chemical-vapors-contaminate-hundreds-of-properties-across-minnesota/414787933/
Purchase Agreements
Buying and selling homes can be confusing as a person does not do this type of transaction every day. I often get questions on “how” the process moves along and “when” do you have a deal. When negotiating the sale of purchase of a home, keep in mind that you do not have a deal until the terms you agree to mirror one another. That is why you will see an initial Purchase Agreement and then a number of counter off addendums circulating back and forth between buyer and seller. The key is to keep track of the changing terms to make sure you agree. Before you sign on the last piece of paper with the last change of terms, look back and make sure you understand all the terms from the initial Purchase Agreement to the last addendum in front of you. Also, keep in mind that the Purchase Agreement and the amendments (addendums) to it are enforceable contracts. Once the contingencies are satisfied, you are moving rapidly down the chute to closing and there are legal consequences if you get cold feet.
For Sale By Owner (FSBO)
We have received a number of calls this year from people wanting to sell their home without a realtor. You may find that if you are willing to put in your time and energy to market your home, you can save significant costs by having us advise you as to the proper sale documents. Remember, some Minnesota cities require that the seller is to provide a Truth-in-Housing inspection report to a potential buyer. Minnesota state law also requires a number of disclosures you must give related to the condition of the property, the presence of wells, septic systems, lead, etc. You may also need contingency addenda related to financing, sale of your home, appraisals, etc. We have worked with residential buyers and sellers, give us a call and let us know if we can help you!
Radon Disclosure
As of January 1, 2014, if you are selling a home in Minnesota you must provide
a Radon disclosure notice. Radon is a silent killer. There are ways to
detect radon in your home and ways to abate the problem. For more
information check out the Minnesota Department of Health’s website:
www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/indoorair/radon/radonre.html