It goes without saying that if you want to get the most out of your real estate lawyer, you need to be sure that you hire one. The last thing you want is to be stuck with a lawyer that isn’t well versed in real estate law and who can’t help you. So how do you find a good one?
Most attorneys charge an hourly rate for their services, while some charge a flat fee. The attorney will advise you upfront on the cost. In most cases, the flat fee is $ 350 to $1000, or an annual fee of up to $1500. Most attorneys have offices in different communities throughout the country, so if you want to hire one in your community, you can ask the real estate attorney whether he or she will be willing to come to your community to handle your case.
You also want to ask your real estate lawyer about transaction fees. Many lawyers offer transaction services at no charge, but some charge transaction fees. You should find out exactly what the transaction fees are before signing any papers, and you should also find out what the percentage of the sale cost is.
If you want to get the best service possible, you want to make sure that you choose real estate lawyers that have experience in real estate law. This means that they should have many years under their belt. Some lawyers have represented thousands of cases, so you can be sure that they know their stuff. To give you a better idea of how experienced they are, some lawyers will disclose their level of expertise on their websites.
Choosing a real estate lawyer is not an easy task. There are many considerations that you need to make before choosing one. First of all, you should decide whether you want an attorney who practices exclusively in real estate, or one who practices in all areas of the law. Every state has a separate bar exam, and it is possible that you will need to sit for a bar exam in more than one state. There is nothing wrong with having more than one attorney, per se; however, most attorneys offer a full range of services and will not limit themselves to real estate.
A real estate lawyer’s job description may include drafting contracts, serving as agents, and negotiating sales. A contract lawyer may even go above and beyond and take care of everything that needs to be done during the transaction. A legal secretary may be involved with these tasks as well. For example, a real estate lawyer may have taken care of all the paper work necessary to prepare a purchase agreement, so that the transaction can move forward smoothly.
Zoning laws can be complex and not easily understood by individuals who do not live in the city. This is why zoning attorneys are much in demand, as they can help clients understand and abide by the local regulations. Many cities also require that owners of certain types of commercial real estate build enough density to allow them to be zoned for such use. If the property is not zoned for commercial use, it cannot be used for residential purposes, which is why many real estate lawyers specialize in this area.
Commercial real estate transactions can be highly complicated, so it is wise to seek the advice and expertise of an attorney who is very familiar with these matters. There are many things that are often overlooked by individuals who are not experts in this area. The consequences of making a mistake in this area can be severe. Therefore, if you do not feel comfortable handling this transaction on your own, then it would be wise to enlist the aid of an attorney to do it for you.