If you opt to hire a real estate lawyer to handle the closing for your real estate transaction, there are some specific roles that the lawyer will play. The attorney will ensure the closing process goes smoothly and can iron out any difficulties that might arise.
Real estate lawyers represent their clients’ interests during real estate transactions — advising clients, protecting their clients’ best interests and solving any problems that might come up during the transaction.
Here are some things that real estate lawyers do:
- Review all contracts related to the real estate transaction, ensuring that all documents are as they should be and leave the client well protected.
- Help the client meet necessary deadlines in order for the client to protect their deposit.
- Examine the title, making sure that the seller has good title and is actually entitled to sell the property and that there are no liens on the title.
- Review the taxes for the property.
- Review all closing documents and attend the closing meeting with the client.
- Provide advice on any problems or potential problems that arise during a real estate transaction.
- Make certain that you are only paying expenses that you are legally obligated by contract to pay.
It is important to find a real estate lawyer that you feel comfortable with and that you can trust. If you have a pre-existing relationship with a lawyer, or are given a recommendation from someone you trust, that is a good place to start when looking for an attorney.
It is important to find a real estate lawyer who is a good communicator. You want to be able to count on your real estate attorney to explain your contract to you and answer any questions. At the same time, you count on your real estate lawyer to review your documents ahead of time and identify any potential problems or areas of which you need to be notified.
In addition, you should always choose a real estate lawyer who is experienced. Those with years of experience practicing real estate law will be in a better position to support a client in any type of situation. Unexpected problems can arise when purchasing property. You want a lawyer who has a certain amount of experience and can handle any type of situation.