The law protects you when you deal with any lender who regularly extends credit, including banks, mort- gage companies small loan and finance companies,. The required net worth must be maintained in the form of assets acceptable to us.1. LEGAL REQUIREMENTS: All contracts for real property are required to be in writing to be legally enforceable. This material is provided to answer general questions about the law in New York State. Any mortgage contract should be in writing, as it protects everyone involved. You do not need to have a signed purchase contract in order to apply for a mortgage loan and receive a Loan Estimate. A contract for deed is a type of seller financing, where the seller agrees to give possession of the property to the buyer immediately. The buyer has fewer legal rights in a scenario where they are unable to make payments to the seller. You do not need to have a signed purchase contract in order to apply for a mortgage loan and receive a Loan Estimate. This means you have to take out a mortgage.