What Is a Purchase and Sale Agreement?

Buying a home is not exactly a pleasure cruise document-wise. However, if you prepare for it well in advance and get the gist of all the important docs and definitions, chances are the affair will go smoothly in your case. In this post, we’ll have your ‘What is a real estate purchase agreement?’ question answered, as well as let you in on where to get the template for property sales agreement and how you should fill it out.

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What is a Purchase and Sale Agreement for Real Estate

So, without further ado, let’s get to grips with the major definition within this piece. A purchase and sale agreement (often shortened to PSA) is a legitimate agreement that seals the deal between a purchaser and a vendor. It records the conditions the purchaser should adhere to, along with the price, restrictions, and emergency cases. This doc is usually related to real estate affairs, but it can also be utilized within other business niches.

Your sales and purchasing agreement is not meant for directly finalizing the sale. Instead, it creates the necessary conditions for it, as well as clarifies each party’s liabilities. When you sign this agreement, you don’t agree to purchase or sell a property. Instead, you establish how to manage:

  • property's legitimate title;
  • examinations and dialogue details;
  • the financial side of the issue;
  • property ownership shift;
  • money transmission.

This doc is crucial, for it functions as the foundation for the property’s sale and manifests how serious the two sides’ approach is. In the majority of cases, the standard agreement for sale of real estate is filled out by one’s real estate attorney. If you’re currently on the prowl for a template of this document, along with the possibility to fill it out online, you’ve come to the right place.

PDFLiner is your go-to hub for everything related to digital file editing. It’s going to save your time and automate the increasingly labor-intensive administrative side of your operation. Going paperless with our comprehensive platform is a breeze, so make sure you get to it as soon as possible if you want your business to thrive in today’s fast-paced environment.

AS IS Real Estate Contract

Types of Real Estate Purchase Agreement

Because there are various types of this contract, start with understanding the distinction between the sales contract for a house and a PSA for a vehicle. While the standard constituent parts of this document hardly ever change irrespective of its vast classification, there can still be subtle yet noticeable differences in the files:

  • residential real estate purchase agreement: this contract focuses on the specific requirements and arrangements around the deal. It will entail escrow, requirements, and incorporate realty terms you won’t see in any other PSA variation;
  • PSA for a car: in this case, the document will be more concise, contain very few terms and conditions, and be more concentrated on everything concerning the change of ownership.

Based on the type of property criterion, aside from a vehicle and home contract of sale, there are also the following types of PSA:

  • apartment PSA;
  • condominium resale PSA;
  • as is purchase agreement form;
  • sales contract for business property;
  • land purchase and sale agreement.

With regard to the type of ownership parameter, the basic PSA classification is as follows:

Now, it’s all pretty clear and self-explanatory with the first two types, co-ownership is worth a little dive-into. This doc is drafted for the purpose of protection of the separate interests of two or more people who have purchased or are in the process of buying a house or any other type of property together. Simple as that.

Are you planning to utilize a digital template to draft the contract in question? Good for you. It’s going to save hours of your precious time for sure. And you can easily find the necessary template within our platform’s extensive catalog of free files. However, before opting for a specific adjustable template, make sure it suits the transaction you’re facilitating like a glove. Of course, hiring a reliable lawyer and letting them sort out the issue for you might be your best bet in this respect.

The thing is, any mistakes during a real estate transaction are pretty costly, both money- and time-wise. Therefore, in order to manage the whole thing like a pro, it’s best that you actually hire a pro! A good lawyer will easily sense your needs and ensure they are professionally reflected in the document. Therefore, in the long run, you’ll take the guesswork out of PSA drafting and enjoy tranquility knowing that the paperwork behind your transaction is managed smoothly.

Meanwhile, irrespective of the niche-specific template you’re on the prowl for, opting for PDFLiner will bring you the following perks:

  • loads of time saved;
  • multiple errors prevented;
  • document perfectly customized to your situation;
  • top-level storage possibilities;
  • game-changing digital signature functionality.

PDFLiner is all about paperwork without paper! Here, you can find and fill out online a customizable OREA form 100, as well as any other template, be it tax-, healthcare-, realty-, or finance-related. With our platform at your regular disposal and some basic realty documentation safeness, you are bound to succeed in managing your PSA under your own steam.

Purchase Agreement

How to Write a Real Estate Purchase Agreement

A well-crafted PSA shapes up the terms of sale and contains a multitude of vital details about the purchaser and the vendor, as well as spells out what each party should be aware of. Wondering how to create this document? This question is closely related to its fundamental elements. Here’s what a solid PSA usually consists of:

  • details about the parties involved in transaction: their full names, addresses, as well as whether they are individuals or organizations;
  • item-for-sale description: it’s important to clarify all possible details about the item (property in our case) in question. Identify it as clearly as possible and provide other vital specs;
  • the cost of the property: it’s that very price both parties shook hands on;
  • payment method: indicate the solution the purchaser will utilize when getting the transaction going;
  • delivery conditions: if we’re talking about the product, spell out the terms of its transportation;
  • property ownership transfer: if we’re talking about a property, this should be covered instead of the previous point;
  • ‘seal the deal’ date: indicate the date when both sides will meet for the purpose of officially transferring property ownership;
  • glossary of terms: include the definition of the main terms utilized in the Far-Bar Contract for Sale and Purchase for the purpose of clarifying the situation-specific nuances behind each notion;
  • seller warranties: as a vendor, include your warranties product quality- or property ownership-wise;
  • advance payment details: shake hands on the amount of money the purchaser will invest as a deposit;
  • dispute resolution conditions: agree upon this upfront, in order to base your cooperation on mutually beneficial transparency;
  • contingencies: clarify the terms each party must adhere to before the transaction is finalized. For example, you can state an inspection contingency according to which the purchaser can refuse to proceed with the deal in case they find out something unpredictably off-putting about the property in question;
  • penalty: reach an agreement in terms of what will happen in case the purchaser or the vendor doesn’t manage to follow the agreement’s conditions without a solid reason.

In some cases, your residential contract for sale and purchase in Florida or any other state may require extra docs or schedules attached. Certain schedules may consist of financial statements, license details, property detalization, bank account data, and the like. Explore the issue in-depth in terms of what exactly you need to attach to your PSA in order to make it perfectly legally-binding and avoid mistakes.

Now, the advance payment issue should be covered, as well. As a purchaser, you should know that this payment is a post-document-signing must-submit — and in the majority of cases it’s nonrefundable. With that said, when making a deposit, you should be 100% certain that you will not walk away from the deal. Because if you decide to suddenly call it quits when all is signed and sealed, the vendor will most likely keep the advance payment.

Real Estate Sales Agreement

Is PSA Legally Binding?

Yes, it’s perfectly legitimate. In order to make it legally binding, you need to infuse it with all the aforementioned elements, spell out all the necessary details, as well as provide the signatures of all parties involved in the agreement. It may sound simple, but in reality it’s not. Therefore, it’s best that you find an expert in this field and ask them to review your agreement (or have it sorted out for you) in order to make its legitimacy perfectly rock-solid.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the meaning of SPA?

A sales and purchase agreement is another name of the document we’re discussing. With that said, SPA is the same as PSA, which means both these terms flaunt one and the same meaning.

Who draws up the contract in a For Sale By Owner (FSBO)?

You can do it under your own steam, ask the purchaser’s agent to do it, or have your realty attorney do it. The choice is solely up to you here, but bear in mind that the two last options will require financial investment.

What type of contract is a real estate sales contract?

It’s one of the most fundamental realty agreements that legitimizes the act of buying of assets by a purchaser from a vendor for a previously discussed sum of money.

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Dmytro Serhiiev
CEO of PDFLiner