As a first-time homebuyer, it’s important to know what to expect. Throughout this process, you’re likely to run into issues you never thought about, like having to run a title search or needing to hire someone to perform an inspection. You’ll have at least one, if not many more, contracts to review, too.
Buying a house in Georgia can be an excellent step toward building your wealth, but it can hurt you, too, if something goes wrong. That’s why the state requires an attorney to be present at least during the closing process. For your benefit, you may want to have them work with you much sooner.
Why should you work with an attorney during the homebuying process?
One of the main reasons to hire an attorney is because you need to protect yourself and your rights. It’s easy to make mistakes as a first-time buyer, such as not thoroughly reading a contract before signing it or signing the wrong type of contract to protect your rights prior to an inspection.
Attorneys do a few things for homebuyers, including:
- Making sure all of the paperwork is filed with the correct authorities
- Making sure the paperwork is accurate and fixed if not
- Performing title searches to uncover potential issues with the property
- Helping buyers avoid discrimination when buying a home
These and other benefits of working with an attorney make them helpful during the process of buying your home.
Is it required to work with an attorney when you close on your home?
Yes. If at no other time than when you close on the property, an attorney does need to be involved. Georgia law requires that an attorney is there to oversee the closing to make sure it is legally binding and within the law.
You should interview attorneys before deciding who to work with when closing the sale on whichever property you chose to put an offer in on. You need to select an attorney who is experienced in home closings and who is there to look out for your best interests. If a problem arises, they’ll be there to help.