Attorney a key part of your homebuying team

Q. Dear Rick: I’m planning on buying a home this spring. How important is it for me to use a real estate attorney? — Jennifer from Lawrence

A. Extremely. Given you’ll probably be making the most expensive purchase you’ve ever made in your entire life, I’d say its foolish to buy a home without the support of an experienced real estate attorney. Here are five reasons why you shouldn’t consider buying a house without one:

• The entirety of your agreement to buy a piece of property will be contained in your initial Offer to Purchase Agreement, and then in your Purchase and Sale agreement. You’ll want to be certain these contracts include everything you’ve agreed to, while protecting your interests. Only a good, experienced residential real estate attorney will be able to guarantee this.

• Your real estate attorney will be able to refer you to a reliable property inspector, lender, buyer’s broker and other professionals you’ll need to successfully purchase a home.

• Often, during the course of the homebuying process, an issue will arise that threatens the deal. It’s usually very difficult for the buyer and seller to resolve these issues independently, but most real estate attorneys will have already dealt with whatever the problem is and can help you come to an agreement. They can also give you the heads-up if the issue is a good reason to back away from the deal altogether.

• Your real estate attorney will be able to help you track the sale and ensure that you meet any deadlines you’ve set, like the deadline for getting a complete mortgage approval. If you fail to meet these deadlines, the attorney can also help you arrange for an extension.

• In the days leading up to the sale, and at the time you close, you’ll be faced with a mountain of documents, including those detailing the financial aspects of the deal. Your average person will have a difficult time verifying whether they’re all correct and if they should sign them. But a real estate attorney will be able to explain them to you and let you know if you’re safe to sign them or if any corrections need to be made.