Hey folks, I’m pretty new to the whole home-buying process in the US and wanted to get some clarity. I’m looking to buy a piece of land in Albany, NY for $7000 to build on. I chatted with a real estate agent, and they asked if I have an attorney. I was like, ‘For what?’ They said it’s to represent me. After doing some digging, I learned the attorney checks the title for any unpaid taxes or liens, which makes sense. But I can’t help but wonder why real estate agents don’t have this info on hand. If I hire an attorney and they find issues like unpaid taxes or a bank lien, does that mean I just lose money for nothing? Anyone else feel confused about this?
I totally get where you’re coming from. It feels like a lot of extra steps when you just want to buy land. But yeah, having a title check is super important to avoid any surprises later.
It’s pretty common to hire an attorney for this kind of stuff. They know what to look for in the title and can save you a lot of headaches down the road.
Honestly, it’s a good idea to have someone check everything. You never know what might be lurking in the background. Better safe than sorry, right?
Yeah, it’s a bit weird that agents don’t have all that info. You’d think they’d know what’s up with the properties they’re selling.