Find Real Estate Attorney By Chris Welsh
You are ready to make the big move; you have your credit reports pulled and checked, some money in the bank, and the neighborhood picked out. The next step towards your dream of homeownership should be to contact a realtor -- or better yet, contact a real estate attorney instead. In many cases, the real estate attorney can help you in the home buying process just as swiftly as a realtor, and can also offer advice in areas that a realtor may not be able to speak about authoritatively, such as tax benefits and pitfalls, basic homeowner rights and responsibilities, and the like.
Who Needs a Real Estate Attorney
Existing home owners, landlords, and renting parties would all find use for a real estate attorney at some point. Having such a resource could mean significant savings in the long-term, not to mention far less hassle dealing with some of the wide variety of problems that can arise from living in or owning real estate.
Benefits
Some benefits for the homeowner of contacting a real estate lawyer include learning the basic rights of all homeowners; specific rights that may apply to your state, city, county, or community; the responsibilities of homeownership when it comes to keeping the property up to code and community standards; how to use your property as a tax shelter. There are also the topics of joint ownership versus shared ownership, and all the legal forms of home ownership to consider in order to determine what works best for your particular situation.
Renters are a group who may think they have no need for a real estate lawyer, but there are many situations where the expertise and legal muscle can come in handy. Having an attorney look over a rental or lease agreement before signing can point out potentially unfavorable situations before you are committed. At the very least, you will be provided with a comprehensible translation of the document. Providing recourse in cases where you are being treated unfairly, such as the landlord refusing to repair damages to the property, is another area where an attorney can help.
When any dispute about living in or owning property arises, contacting a real estate lawyer is a smart first step.
Additional Legal Services:
Nationwide Find an Attorney Services:
American Bar Association
Service Center
321 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60610
800-285-2221
Martindale-Hubbell
121 Chanlon Road
New Providence, NJ 07974
800-526-4902 ext. 8001