Questions to Ask a Real Estate Attorney

When it comes to buying or selling a home, you may need the help of a real estate attorney to help you navigate through the various steps involved in the process. With so many attorneys to choose from, it can be hard to know which one to choose.

Before hiring a real estate attorney, you must find one with the necessary skills and experience to handle your case. However, you also want to pay a fair price. Here are some questions that will help you find the right real estate attorney for you.

1. What Credentials Do You Have?

Although it may seem that every attorney at a firm has the necessary licensing, this may not be the case. You can check this information by visiting the bar website of your state as well as asking about what specialized training they have completed, such as a master’s degree or a certificate.

2. What Experience Do You Have?

Finding out the overall experience of the real estate firm and the attorney is essential. They should have the necessary knowledge and experience with not only real estate cases but for general law cases as well. It can also be helpful if they keep up with state and local real estate laws.

3. How Much Do You Charge?

When looking for a real estate attorney, it can be helpful to understand the fees they will charge. This will allow you to avoid potential hidden costs.

You’ll also want to know if they have a retainer fee and whether they can negotiate a price. Also knowing if you have to pay a flat rate or if they are hourly is a crucial question to ask.

It’s also important to compare the charges against the various skills and reputations of the real estate attorney to see if they’re reasonable. This can be alarming if the lawyer has the necessary experience and skills but charges more than a seasoned one.

4. How Many Clients Do You Serve?

Having a good idea about the number of clients the real estate attorney has served can also help you determine if they have the necessary expertise and experience to handle your case. It can also show that they are too busy to provide effective support.

You can also check out the reviews of the real estate attorneys by visiting their websites or asking for references.

5. How Much of Your Work Is Dedicated to Real Estate?

While some real estate firms focus on the practice of real estate law, they can also handle other areas such as family law and criminal law. Some firms may not have dealt with many real estate cases and may not have the experience you need.

If you find that the real estate firm only handles a few cases per year, it may be better to find another firm. Not only does this indicate that they lack the necessary experience to handle your case, but it can also indicate that other clients don’t trust them.

6. Who is all working on the case?

You might think your attorney will handle everything for you when working with a real estate firm. However, this is often not the case. Large firms typically handle significant cases and have many lawyers working on them.

A lawyer may hire a few paralegals to help draft contracts and other documents. Junior lawyers may also be available to help with the case.

Before you start working with a lawyer, ensure you are informed about the group they are working with. Making sure the trust is there is essential in finding the right fit for you.

7. Are there any challenges you see with my case?

Since real estate can be very complex, this can cause problems when buying and or selling a home. For instance, you might have issues with the appraisal or purchasing a home that requires repairs, which the seller said yes to but never did. These issues can lead to lengthy disputes.

Before hiring a lawyer, make sure you have a good understanding of the issues that have caused problems in the past. You should also ask about the lawyer's experience to ensure that they can give you the best possible outcome.