Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Illinois

The answer depends on the location and age of the house and

whether there is a homeowners association among

other things. A home purchase is more complex than

it may seem and is a major investment, You

should hire an attorney. Good luck.

Let's see: the following basic documents may be required - signed contract, deed, state transfer tax form, county transfer tax form, city transfer tax form, affidavit of title, bill of sale, RESPA HUD-1, home owners association paid assessment letter, home owners association waiver of the right of first refusal, mortgage payoff letters, transfer of mortgage payoff funds, certified funds to sellers for cash to close, ALTA statement, homeowner's insurance policy and paid receipt, real estate broker commission statement, real estate tax proration statement, lease, lease security deposits, lease assignments, city of Chicago water certification, city of Chicago zoning form, general contractor's affidavit, lien waivers, builder's warranty, municipal inspection, possession agreement, and condominium 22.1 documents. Additional documents may be required depending on the complexity of the property and closing.

If you do not have these documents, or know how to get them, will you consider hiring an attorney?

Sounds like you have a heck of a bargain that you think will slip through your fingers if you don't jump fast enough. I'll even bet the seller doesn't want a broker involved because then the seller might have to carve a commission out of the deal. So there can be relatively few documents, or lots, depending on how protected you want to be. If you're the buyer who's going to put down some serious cash, don't be pennywise and poundfoolish. If you don't want a broker involved to at least help firm the deal up w/ a contract, then I suggest you get to an attorney who can help immediately but you'll have to pay him or her directly for working up the contract too. Good luck!