Q: I want to buy my mothers house. Do I need a lawyer or can I just go get a mortgage?
Property is paid off now in Pa.
A:
You do not need a lawyer. A lawyer could be helpful if you wanted to negotiate special terms into an Agreement of Sale, but such is not always necessary. A written Agreement will likely be necessary to highlight the basic terms, but again, does not have to be written by a lawyer.
If you are taking out a loan to purchase the property, it is likely that you will need to purchase title insurance as part of the transaction. Some law firms have a real estate settlement company that can offer you the title insurance and also administer the closing process for the purchase. Your lender will pick a settlement company for you unless you are already working with one. However, if you select the settlement company before you contact a lender, the settlement company may be able to offer you a simple Agreement for no additional charge (above the cost of the title insurance you will have to purchase anyway).
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