Real Estate Attorney

Real estate transactions are governed by numerous laws that address a wide variety of legal issues related to acquiring, financing, developing, managing, constructing, leasing and selling commercial and residential real property. Buying and selling real estate is generally more complicated than buying or selling expensive goods, such as a car or a boat. With real estate, many different people can have an interest in the same property, tax consequences are more complicated, and possession is not necessarily indicative of ownership. An experienced real estate attorney can help you sort through all of the difficult decisions and negotiations involved in real estate transactions.

General Real Estate Law

A competent and experienced real estate attorney can protect a party's interests in both routine and complex transactions and disputes.

What to Expect at Closing

A closing, or settlement, is the meeting during which ownership of the property is officially transferred from the seller to the buyer. The buyer and the seller, their attorneys, both real estate sales professionals, a representative of the lender, and the closing agent typically attend the closing. The closing involves settling any open issues, balancing and verifying an often complex closing statement, and signing all documents necessary to complete the transaction. An attorney with experience in closing real estate transactions will advise you at closing to ensure that your rights are protected.

What is real estate?

Real estate (also called real property) refers to land and things attached to land. For most consumers, real estate consists of their home and the lot surrounding it. Commercial real estate may include factories, equipment, and other facilities. In addition to buildings and equipment, resources existing on (or under) the land, including minerals and gas, are part of real estate. Some of these components of real estate can be sold separately.

Your attorney will review the sales contract and represent you at closing.

There are many questions you can ask a personal attorney before deciding whether to have the attorney represent you at closing. They can include: 

What is the attorney's fee for representing you at closing?
What is the attorney's experience with real estate transactions?
Are there fees for reading documents relating to the closing?
Are there fees for giving advice?
Remember that your personal attorney's fee is not part of your closing costs. You must pay for this expense separately.

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