Using a Real Estate Attorney

[legalhomeforms]

As an agent what percent of your buyers/sellers also use a real estate attorney to close?

[Deuce]

100%

[judyo]

99.9% - I currently have sellers (investors) that are not using an attorney. This will be interesting. The only other time this occurred was another seller that insisted she could represent herself but we could not close - until she hired an attorney to get the paperwork she could not get on her own (but thought she could).

Over the years I have also had a few buyers that refused to hire an attorney and the title officer had to walk them through the paperwork. Today, I inform buyers that the title people will not do this anymore as they are sometimes working on multiple closings at once. I haven't had a buyer not use an attorney in a very long time.

[Philadelphia Realtor]

Here in PA, attorneys are rather rare in residential transactions...definitely less than ten percent...perhaps less than five. You'll most often run into attorneys when they're representing relo companies or estates. I wince when an attorney who isn't a real estate specialist gets involved. Unfortunately, they're usually unfamiliar with the documents and it's almost painful to watch at the table.

[AaronSOLD]

In MN there are almost never attorneys involved at any step. Estates being the major exception.

[Charles Sweeney]

Sitting in the UK, I find this fascinating that there are such differences across states.

[Deuce]

Sitting in the UK, I find this fascinating that there are such differences across states.

I find it facinating here in the USA as well. I know in da U.P. (Upper Peninsula) of Michigan where I'm originally from and both my parents are Realtors they almost never do. What's the deal? My question is why not use one, it's only a couple hundo ($)? I guess when in Rome huh?

-=Brian

[Charles Sweeney]

I find it facinating here in the USA as well. I know in da U.P. (Upper Peninsula) of Michigan where I'm originally from and both my parents are Realtors they almost never do.

That's interesting. Michigan appears to have a high number of FSBO properties. Related?

[Philadelphia Realtor]

My question is why not use one, it's only a couple hundo ($)?

My recommendation when using an attorney who specializes in real estate is to use him/her from the beginning...from writing the contract through closing. Although there are exceptions, bringing an attorney in to review closing docs is often like closing the barn door after the horse is gone.

[Deuce]

My recommendation when using an attorney who specializes in real estate is to use him/her from the beginning...from writing the contract through closing. Although there are exceptions, bringing an attorney in to review closing docs is often like closing the barn door after the horse is gone.

My clients usually have the attorney involved from the contract review period on...

-=Brian