West Virginia coal town property sale contract

In West Virginia’s historic coal towns, property sales often involve parcels once owned by mining companies. Contracts need to clarify mineral rights ownership, as many deeds severed surface rights from subsurface rights decades ago. Sale contracts may include indemnity clauses against environmental cleanup costs tied to old coal operations. Buyers should also demand warranties about structural safety if properties were built over mine shafts. A surface deed without mineral rights is common, but a contract must spell that out clearly to avoid assumptions. These towns hold history, but the contracts hold the liabilities.