It is common practice to hire a lawyer for real estate transactions, especially in states that require an attorney to be involved at closing. Many states require a lawyer for closing, including Massachusetts, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and more.
Having a lawyer present can ensure that the process goes smoothly and mitigates potential risks, so while it is a requirement in many states, it’s a good idea to have a lawyer present so that the process is streamlined and there are no last-minute disruptions to your closing.
How Does An Attorney Help With Real Estate Closing
A closing attorney organizes and oversees the closing of your real estate transactions while also preparing all the paperwork and contracts. During the closing process, the seller’s attorney is responsible for drafting the initial contract, while the buyer’s attorney has the ability to add additional terms to the contract during the negotiation.
After this process has been started, a title search will be conducted to assess for liens or any other issues with the title before finalizing the closing. This will ensure that everything is in line for an issue-free closing.
Title Insurance
The attorney for your closing process will work to obtain title insurance for the buyer. This process ensures that the title is free and clear and makes sure there are no issues to work out before finalizing the sale.
Information Collection
While the closing process is moving forward, the closing attorney will work to gather information for home inspections, warranty, HOA, and insurance policies.
The Closing Process
After reporting and ensuring the title is free and clear, your attorney can begin the closing process. This process includes organizing the closing date, picking the time and location for signing, and communicating to all parties.
Your attorney will review the closing documents, distribute funds, and ensure that all parties are up to date on the closing details.
While this can be a strenuous process, having an attorney who can handle the closing details and documents will make the process a lot easier for everyone involved.
Hiring A Real Estate Attorney
Our attorneys at David Brunelle Law are well versed in closings as well as other real estate matters such as:
- Representing Sellers
- Representing Lenders
- Purchase/Sale Agreements
- Title Problems
- Representing Buyers
If you need support in your real estate closing or for other matters, we would love to help. Please contact our office today to learn more or ask any questions you might have about the process.
Attorney David Brunelle uses his 25 years of experience in Western Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut to successfully and professionally guide you through all steps of the real estate legal process. Learn more at https://davidbrunellelaw.com or email david@davidbrunellelaw.com to get started.