This weekend my brother Paul explained how he had successfully used Facebook Marketplace to sell extra furniture. Wow, I thought, this is a great resource. But then a potential client called today. The potential client posted For Sale by Owner on Facebook Marketplace without legal advice. The problem was NOT with the platform, but with selling real property without professional help.
Lawyers, title companies, real estate agents are expensive. Many of the documents used in a real estate transaction can be bought for next to nothing online. Tempting, but should you proceed without professional help?
Water rights, easements for access, well share agreements – they all need an experienced legal hand. Even attorneys whose business is limited to real estate transactions often do not have the experience to advise on water use as it relates to real property.
It’s a lot cheaper to hire legal help to do it right before your “For Sale by Owner” than after. If you have a mistake the legal team will charge at their much higher litigation rates than at their more reasonable transactional rates. If you are still unsure about needing professional help check out one of our webinars: Water-Related Disclosure Requirements – Schroeder Law Offices, PC (water-law.com)
Another thing: realize that your lawyer, title company and realtor are all having the same labor shortage as every business. Contacting your legal team before you put up your ad on Facebook Marketplace, Zillow, or another “For Sale by Owner” platform is a good plan. Save yourself from improperly disclosing important information about your property, water rights and easements before you list!
