Articles about Selling Your House

A Seller's Guide to Closing Documents in Iowa

The week before closing is when the paper shows up. A payoff statement from your mortgage company. A deed you are supposed to sign in front of a notary. Something called a ...

Selling Your Iowa Home? What You Must Disclose Under the Law

A Guide to Iowa's Property Seller Disclosure Act and How to Avoid Costly Mistakes When Dorothy decided to sell her family’s century-old Grinnell farmhouse, she never imagined the ...

What the Closing Process Looks Like in Real Estate Transactions

Closing on a home is both an exciting and nerve-wracking process. Knowing what to expect out of it can help the process run much more smoothly for everyone involved.

Foregoing a Real Estate Agent to Sell Your House? No Problem! A Lawyer Can Help Guide Your Sale

Many people assume that they have to have real estate agent to sell their home in Iowa, but that simply is not true. Individuals can sell their own home and save thousands of ...

A Brief Overview of the Closing Process for Real Estate Transactions

For many people, buying or selling a home is the largest transaction of their life. They may only go through it a few times in their lifetime as well. Whether it is your first ...

Selling Your Home? 4 Tips to Begin the Process

If you are considering selling your home, you need to engage in some careful planning to make the process run smoothly. Selling your house involves more than just decluttering and ...

3 Types of Buyers for Your Property

Selling your home can be daunting, especially if this is your first time. However, understanding the market and the type of people who may be interested in purchasing your home ...

What Sellers Need to Know About Real Estate Disclosures in Iowa

Under Iowa law, those who are selling real estate must make certain disclosures about the property to potential buyers. Failing to make these disclosures can lead to litigation ...

Selling Your Home? Here’s Why You Need a Lawyer on Your Team

Most people have bought and sold a home at some point in their life and assume that it is a pretty straightforward process. The fact is, however, that real estate transactions can ...

Who Signs the Deed in a Real Estate Transaction?

“Does my spouse need to sign if I am selling my old home that I owned before we were married? She was never on title with me…”

5 Common Residential Real Estate Title Issues

Whether you are investing in property for buying your own home, one of the most important documents to the transaction is the abstract. An abstract contains the chain of title for ...

Iowa Property Taxes: Understanding How They Are Calculated

Property taxes are an essential source of revenue for state and local governments. If you own property in Iowa, actively understanding how your property taxes are calculated is ...

Are Sellers Required to Disclose Haunted Property?

Halloween is a couple weeks away, and sellers with haunted properties already have ghosts and goblins on their minds.

Iowa Real Estate Power of Attorney: A Comprehensive Guide

If you’re buying or selling residential real estate in Iowa, a power of attorney (POA) can be a useful tool. A POA allows a trusted agent to act on behalf of the principal in a ...

Which Contract is Best: Professional vs. Online Download?

We can shop, we bank, we even keep in touch with family online. The internet and smartphones have provided so many conveniences in our everyday lives, we hardly have a reason to ...

COVID-19 Recovery Options for Iowans with FHA Mortgages

This article discusses mortgage-relief measures announced in 2021. It is retained for historical information.

Installment Contracts: What are they and when are they used?

Real estate installment contracts are a financing option that allows for periodic payments instead of a lump sum payment. Also known as a land contract, contract for deed, or ...

Earnest Money in Iowa Real Estate: What You Need to Know

As an Iowa Real Estate Attorney, I have come across many home buyers and sellers who are unsure about earnest money. It is a basic concept that can have significant implications ...

Groundwater Hazard Statements in Iowa

When selling a property in Iowa, you might be asked to complete a Groundwater Hazard Statement. This document discloses information about any wells, burial sites, waste disposal ...

Iowa Real Estate Mistakes: Tips on How to Avoid Them in Transactions

Navigating the real estate market in Iowa can be both exciting and daunting. Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer or a seasoned investor, real estate transactions can be riddled ...

Abstracts in Iowa: Their Role in Real Estate Transactions

Abstracts in Iowa are a critical legal document in Iowa real estate transactions. It provides a chronological record of a property’s ownership history and contains public records ...

Why Inform Your Iowa Real Estate Attorney About a Divorce

Divorce is undoubtedly one of the most challenging personal events in one’s life. It can significantly impact various aspects of your life, including your real estate dealings. ...

Secure Notarization Anywhere: Remote Online Notary Service

The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the shift towards remote online notarization in Iowa, changing the way legal documents are notarized. While many believe that Iowa notary publics ...

Understanding Co-Tenancy Property Ownership in Iowa: Tenants in Common vs. Joint Tenancy

When two or more residents jointly own the same property, they engage in a legal relationship known as co-tenancy property ownership. Also referred to as vesting, co-tenancy ...

Local Real Estate Professionals and “The Home Court Advantage”

As we enter the month of March, basketball fans across the country are gearing up for one of the most exciting times of the year, March Madness. While the world of college ...

Iowa Abstracts Significance in Real Estate Transactions

If you’re navigating the intricate world of Iowa real estate transactions, you’ll inevitably encounter an “abstract.” This indispensable legal document provides a meticulous ...

Real Estate Probate: Strategies to Avoid It in Iowa

This article is retained for general educational information. Danilson Law no longer provides estate-planning services. For advice about wills, trusts or your estate plan, please ...

Remote Online Notary: The Evolution of Real Estate Signatures

In the ever-evolving landscape of residential real estate, ensuring secure, legal, and efficient transaction processes is paramount. One significant development has been the ...

Iowa Seller Impersonation Fraud Prevention

4 Key Benefits to Having a Real Estate Attorney When Buying or Selling Real Estate

Buying real estate can be a confusing process, particularly for first-time buyers. Many people do not realize that they can use a real estate attorney, and not just realtors and ...