lawyer who specializes helping you purchase and take title to your property

What does a lawyer specialize in real estate?

Dec 10, 2021 · A real estate attorney is equipped to prepare and review documents relating to purchase agreements, mortgage documents, title documents, and transfer documents. A real estate attorney hired to...

How can a real estate attorney help me with title issues?

Mar 07, 2022 · A real estate attorney, also known as a real estate lawyer, is someone who is licensed to practice real estate law, meaning they have the knowledge and experience to advise parties involved in a real estate transaction, such as a home sale or short sale.

How can a local real estate attorney help you?

Jun 16, 2017 · In addition to providing honest and sound counsel for all your real estate decisions, we can help prepare the deed or other relevant documents necessary to take title in the manner that is best for you. We invite you to learn more about our services by contacting 305-921-0440 or info@jflawfirm.com. Jennie Farshchian

Can a real estate attorney represent the buyer or the seller?

You've come to the right place. Whether you are a buying or selling a house, or own property like a condo, single family residence, or commercial real estate, a real estate lawyer may help. Use FindLaw to hire a local real estate lawyer near you to help you when you have real estate problems like a dispute with the homeowner's association or noise from neighbors, recording …

What is a real estate attorney?

A real estate attorney is someone who is licensed to practice real estate law, meaning they have the knowledge and experience to advise parties involved in a real estate transaction, such as a home sale.

Why do you need an attorney for a home purchase?

Here are a few reasons you might need or want an attorney to be part of your home buying team: State or lender requirement: Every state has slightly different laws regarding real estate transactions, and some states consider certain actions that are part of the process to be “practicing law.”. These regulations are often meant to prevent real ...

How much does a real estate attorney charge?

If you want your own attorney in addition to the one required by your lender, you’ll also pay for any services they provide you. How and how much a real estate attorney charges will vary, but here are some basic ranges to give you an idea of what you’ll spend: 1 Fixed hourly rate: A real estate attorney who charges an hourly rate may charge $150 – $350 per hour, but this can vary a lot depending on how experienced the attorney is and what area you’re in. 2 Fixed rates for specific services: They may also charge a flat fee for the particular services they provide. For example, a real estate attorney might charge $500 – $1,500 to conduct a home closing. Their fees may also depend on the sale price of the property in question.

Who is in charge of closing a home?

In some cases, a real estate attorney is also the person who’ll be in charge of your closing. In a home purchase transaction, both the buyer and seller can hire an attorney to represent their interests during the process. Or, in the case where an attorney is overseeing a closing where the home is being purchased with a mortgage loan, ...

What is the most straightforward way to hold title?

Also known as “ownership in severalty,” this is the most straightforward way to hold title, since it is only in the name of the individual or entity (trust, corporation, etc.) purchasing or receiving the property. For obvious reasons, this method is generally, though not exclusively, used by persons who are legally single.

What is Jennie's real estate practice?

She specializes in drafting, reviewing and negotiating leases, purchase contracts, deeds, and other real estate-related documents; handling title issues; and representing lenders, buyers and sellers in the conveyance of commercial and residential real estate. She also counsels and represents individuals, foreign investors, and small to mid-sized businesses on matters pertaining to corporate formation, contract preparation and negotiation, estate planning, and business/investor immigration. Call for a Consultation 305-921-0440.

Can two people take title to the same property?

As with a tena ncy in common, two or more individuals or entities take title to the same property. However, a joint tenancy with the right of survivorship requires that each co-owner have an equal ownership interest and take possession of the title in the same deed at the same time.

Who can be involved in a property dispute?

Property disputes can involve just about anyone who has an interest in the real estate in question. For example, most property disputes involve the owner of the property in some way, but they can also involve: Neighbors; Landlords and Tenants; Homeowner Associations (HOAs);

What is a property dispute?

A property dispute is a legal dispute that involves real estate. While it may sound relatively simple, the term “property dispute” covers a wide range of possible disputes over a wide range of property. The property involved could be anything from a vacant lot to a home, deck, condominium, manufactured home, pond, driveway, ...

How to resolve a dispute with a neighbor?

Sometimes, a dispute can be resolved by just talking to your neighbor and maintaining a good relationship with them. Politeness and respect can go a long way in resolving minor disputes. If it gets to the point where you feel a demand letter is necessary, you can certainly discuss that option with an attorney.

What is eminent domain?

Often, property disputes that involve cities or municipalities can involve issues of eminent domain, where the government has the right to take and use property for public purposes.

How to resolve boundary disputes?

Often, boundary disputes can be resolved at least in part by having a proper survey conducted on the property (especially if you’re planning on putting in a fence). Other property disputes may become more complicated, especially when you start running into issues questioning ownership.

What are the responsibilities of a HOA?

Homeowner Association Responsibilities: Which may bring up questions of whether the HOA is responsible for maintenance and upkeep of some elements of the neighborhood. Utility Easements: Sometimes homeowners may not realize whether or where utility easements are located on their property.

What is cloud on title?

Generally speaking, a “cloud” on title refers to any irregularity or outstanding claim in the chain of title to the property. Usually this means that there is an unresolved claim, a lien, or some other encumbrance on the property that would prevent transfer of ownership from one party to another.

Who is the rightful owner of a property?

The grantor is the rightful owner of the property and can legally transfer its title; There are no liens, debts, or encumbrances on the property (neither prior to nor during their ownership period); and. If a legal issue does come up, then the grantor will be responsible for fixing it.

What type of deed is used in real estate?

What Type of Deed Is Most Commonly Used? The most common type of deed that is used in real estate transactions is the general warranty deed. This deed offers the greatest protections for a buyer through its terms. Specifically, the terms of a general warranty deed usually contain six covenants (or promises).

What is a deed?

A deed is a type of legal document that is used to transfer ownership rights in a home or other piece of property from the current owner to a new one. Although there are many different types of deeds, each of which has its own requirements, the majority of deeds generally include the following elements: 1 A description identifying the property being transferred; 2 The names of the parties who are taking part in the deed transaction (i.e., the grantor and the grantee); and 3 The signature of the party who is transferring the deed (note that the signature must be notarized by a notary public).

What are the elements of a deed?

Although there are many different types of deeds, each of which has its own requirements, the majority of deeds generally include the following elements: A description identifying the property being transferred; The names of the parties who are taking part in the deed transaction (i.e., the grantor and the grantee); and.

How much does it cost to file a deed?

It should be noted that there may be a small fee to file the deed. The fee amount will vary by jurisdiction, but usually starts at around $10.

What is a general warranty deed?

General warranty deeds: In contrast to quitclaim deeds, general warranty deeds give the buyer the greatest amount of protection. It guarantees that the grantor actually owns and can sell the property. It also promises that the property does not have any debts, encumbrances, or liens against it.

How does a deed work?

The way this deed works is that the current owner will sign over a deed to the new owner while they are still alive. Once the current owner dies, however, the deed will automatically transfer ownership to the new one. In other states, a person may create a will in order to transfer property upon their death. In this case, when the family member ...

What is a real estate lawyer?

A real estate lawyer is licensed to practice law and specializes in real estate transactions. A real estate lawyer is familiar with all aspects of the home purchase process and can represent buyers, sellers or lenders. In states where a lawyer is required to be present at closing, it’s possible that the lawyer is there solely to represent ...

What is closing on a home?

Closing. The moment you’ve been waiting for— closing on a home sale or purchase —often involves dozens of pages of legal documents to review. A lawyer can help both the seller and buyer navigate the review, which can be especially intimidating and confusing to a first-time homebuyer.

Can a lawyer draft a real estate contract?

Although real estate agents usually play a central role in preparing purchase contracts, a lawyer could provide a review of the purchase contract terms. What’s more, real estate agents are generally limited to filling out contract templates, rather than drafting them from scratch. For that reason, more complex contracts may need to be drafted by an attorney.

Can a buyer withdraw from a contract without penalty?

In some cases the buyer—if the contract allows it —could withdraw from the contract without penalty. Title. A title search is routine before a purchase, and might turn up a lien on the property you’re selling or buying, which a lawyer can help investigate. A lawyer also could help ensure the title insurance on your new home adequately protects you ...

Do you need a lawyer for real estate?

Some states require real estate lawyers to be part of the process, while attorneys are not used much, if at all, in other states. Here is a look at why hiring a lawyer might be a good idea—or not—from a buyer’s and seller’s perspectives.

What does a title company do?

Title companies work on behalf of many title insurers rather than the buyer or seller of the house. Their responsibilities sometimes also include obtaining a copy of a possible survey of the property. The review of the survey would confirm property lines and identify any encroachments or easements from neighbors.

What does a closing attorney do?

The task of the closing attorney is overseeing the purchase and sale agreement in a real estate transaction. The attorney will review all documents associated with the purchase. These instruments range from deeds to settlement statements. Closing attorneys also take on the task of examining the title and overseeing the purchasing of the title insurance. A significant difference between working with a closing attorney as opposed to a title company is the breadth of involvement. A closing attorney's responsibility is multi-faceted. They can help with loan documentation and disbursement, as well as, explain deeds and notes associated with the purchase. They represent the buyer as opposed to the insurer, assisting with any legal problems or questions that might crop up during the settlement process.

What is title insurance?

The Title and Title Insurance for Purchasing Your Home. A notable overlap of responsibilities for both the title company and the closing attorney is to secure a clean title to your property. The title is crucial for all buyers as it gives you a legal right to the house that you've purchased.

What does a title search confirm?

The title search confirms outstanding mortgages, judgments, unpaid taxes or other issues that would profoundly impact ownership. What you don't want to end up with is a title with liens or to discover that there are other partial owners of the property.

Do you need title insurance when buying a house?

Title insurance is optional if, and only if, you purchase the property with cash. Most lenders will have title insurance as a requirement for the loan. If someone were to materialize and declare themselves as the rightful owner of the property, the title insurance will protect your investment by covering the costs of the house and ...

What can a real estate attorney do for you?

A real estate attorney can assist you with property title issues by reviewing the title documents, the title policy, preparing real estate documents, and negotiating a resolution for you. Real estate attorneys are knowledgeable about real estate and property laws and can advise you of your legal remedies. Property title issues are complex, and you ...

Why do you need title insurance?

Homeowners should consider purchasing extended coverage if it is available because it further protects against building encroachments, subdivision violations, tax liens, if your builder goes bankrupt and much more .

What is due diligence when buying a house?

When you purchase real property, part of your due diligence is to review the property title report to make sure there is clear title and to check for errors. Common errors that occur are spelling errors in the parties' names and mistakes in the legal description.

What is a title report?

The title report will reveal if there are any liens, judgments, deed restrictions regarding the use of the property, other encumbrances, or building encroachments. Liens arising from mortgages, tax liens, mechanic liens, and judgments must be paid and released prior to closing or title cannot be transferred.

What to do if you discover a defect in your title?

If you discover a defect in the title or an encroachment prior to purchasing the property, ask the current owner to correct it. If a problem such as an encroachment cannot be corrected and you still want to purchase the property, then at least you will be aware of potential issues that could result later. An owner's title insurance policy is recommended when you purchase or transfer property. It protects the homeowner and their lender's interest in case future property title problems arise in connection with the following:

What are boundary items?

Boundary items are another common problem that can arise when you are purchasing property. You should always obtain a survey to make sure that there are no problems with improvements or encroachments so you know where your property boundary starts and ends.

Who Can Be Involved in A Property Dispute?

• Property disputes can involve just about anyone who has an interest in the real estate in question. For example, most property disputes involve the owner of the property in some way, but they can also involve: 1. Neighbors; 2. Landlords and Tenants; 3. Homeowner Associations (HOAs); 4. Trespassers; 5. Family Members; 6. Builders and Developers; 7. ...

See more on legalmatch.com

What Are Some Common Types of Property Disputes?

What Is A “Cloud” on Title?

What Remedies Are Available For Property Disputes?

Do I Need An Attorney If I Have A Property Dispute?