This topic relates to the legal issues regarding the purchase and sale of residential property. It includes title issues, mortgages, and the review and preparation of documents necessary to close the sale of a home. |
| Questions
to Ask and Information to Obtain About your Prospective Attorney: |
Do you frequently handle residential real estate deals? |
| How long have you been practicing in this area of the law? |
Do you usually represent buyers?, sellers?, banks? All of the above? |
| Ask
for references-"Can you refer me to some
people who are familiar with your work?" |
| Who
will be working on my case?
If it is more than one person, ask about the responsibilities
of each member of the team and who will ultimately be in charge? |
Fee
Issues:
Most attorneys who handle residential real estate closings do so on a flat fee basis. In addition to the closing, there may be other fees and expenses involved. Always ask what the likely total cost will be. If problems arise before the closing that require additional services beyond those typically required, there will frequently be additional fees involved. For instance, if you are selling a property that has a problem with its title that needs to be cleared before the closing can take place, this will frequently require you to pay additional fees. |
Do
you carry malpractice insurance?
If you are buying a house worth
$200,000, you would like your attorney to carry at least that much in insurance coverage in case something goes wrong. |
| Have you ever been suspended or disciplined? Attorneys are strictly regulated by the State of New York through the Attorney Grievance Committee of each of the four Appellate Divisions. It is completely appropriate to ask if an attorney has ever been disciplined and if so, for what offense. |
