CHOICE OF A LAWYER: IMPORTANT? (PART 2)
The choice of a lawyer in a real estate transaction is important. The buyer has put in effort researching new homes. The seller has cleaned his home and spent money so it “shows well.” The seller has shopped for a new place to live. The broker has advertised, had open houses, and showed visitors the property.
Some lawyers are generalists – not full-time real estate lawyers. Getting the contract created and signed is not supposed to be an adventure – but it can be with certain lawyers! Some lawyers want to show their client how smart they are and that they are a strong advocate. Rather than looking to compromise they put up roadblocks: closing date – inflexible; certificate of occupancy questions/violations – inflexible and unwilling to deal with the building department to overcome difficulties. Homes built before a certain date may not have a C of O – it’s grandfathered in. Inexperienced non-real estate type lawyers may not be comfortable with this and may object. This issue does come up in Rockaway because many homes here were built a long time ago.
Call me for a list of user-friendly lawyers. Sukkot begins tomorrow night, September 29 and ends Friday night, October 6. No work permitted for the observant on September 30-October 1. Love, Robin.
