Considering selling or purchasing a real estate property? It’s a smart idea to get a lawyer.
Maybe you need help with refinancing a commercial property or want to resolve a real estate dispute. A lawyer can guide you and help with all your needs. And not just any lawyer. A real estate lawyer.
In this article, we examine some tips for finding a very good real estate lawyer.
Choose a real estate lawyer
We cannot but emphasize this; choose a real estate lawyer. Like other professionals, lawyers have different specialties.
But with lots of people thinking any lawyer can help with their real estate transaction, we see divorce lawyers trying to handle real estate deals, with devastating results. So do the right thing by hiring a real estate lawyer, and you’ll get splendid services.
Experience
Your real estate lawyer should have hundreds of transactions and several years of experience. You should also find out what kind of transaction they are familiar with. Such a real estate lawyer will have seen it all and will have the capacity to give the right advice and guidance.
Honesty and personality
Before choosing a real estate lawyer, find out if they are honest and have a great personality.
Many lawyers offer a free initial consultation; you can take advantage of that to determine whether they seem reliable and honest. For instance, if the lawyer is overly optimistic about the chances of success without pointing out the risks, they are probably not the right lawyer for you.
If they are rude or rush through the appointment without responding satisfactorily to your queries, you want to hire someone else. Also, look out for how confident they are and how well they communicate with you.
Expertise
Does the lawyer have experience in transactions such as yours? This is one of the questions you want to ask the lawyer during the initial consultation. You can ask the lawyer to give you references you can contact.
Ask those clients about their experience working with the lawyer, if the lawyer was able to help, and whether their services were satisfactory. Depending on your needs, your lawyer should offer services such as drafting and reviewing contracts, detecting mortgage fraud, negotiating deals, and so on.
Fees
During the initial consultation, ask them about their fee structure to know if you can afford their services. That’s because some lawyers charge an hourly fee while others charge a flat rate.
Lastly, it’s not a good idea to hire a lawyer that’s way cheaper than the others as it’s an indication that they may not offer top-notch services.
Hire local
If there’s one thing better than a good real estate lawyer, it’s a good local real estate lawyer. You don’t want to drag Uncle Thompson Snr, lead counsel at Thompson and Thompson from New York to close your real estate deal in Pennsylvania.
Laws, procedures, and intricacies vary from state to state. So it’s only smart to hire a real estate lawyer that practices locally.
Want a smart and experienced real estate lawyer in your corner? Discuss your needs and take advantage of our 100 years of legal experience by scheduling a free phone consultation today.