You May Not Require a Real Estate Attorney, But
The reality is that you don't need to hire an attorney in Pennsylvania to buy, sell, or lease a commercial or residential property. However, if you live in Montgomery County or Bucks County, PA having a real estate attorney near you and on hand can help avoid major issues down the road.
A qualified real estate attorney can help represent you whether you're a buyer, seller, landlord, tenant, developer, property manager, or even a municipality.
Our real estate law firm has offices in Doylestown and Norristown, PA, and it's one of the best in the great Philadelphia area. For example, we've been recognized as a Best Law Firm for real estate litigation in metropolitan Philadelphia. Not surprisingly, real estate is a core practice area. So we've helped clients with real property transactions in Philadelphia and the greater Philadelphia area, including Montgomery, Bucks, Chester, and Delaware counties.
Your Rights as Buyer or Seller
If you're a seller, you have the right to have a real estate attorney review the listing agreement and sales agreement. But, more importantly, you should be aware that you may be liable for the actions of your real estate agent.
If you're a buyer looking to buy a home or lease a property, you have the right to have an attorney review the sales agreement and represent you during settlement. However, as a buyer, you should remember that the seller's agent will look out for their client and not your best interests.
How a Real Estate Attorney Can Help
Having expert legal counsel during any transaction makes sense. For example, an attorney can help sort out all the legal documents to give you greater peace of mind. Here are some ways a real estate lawyer can protect your interests.
Contracts: A real estate attorney will ensure the contract adheres to state laws. They can also look into potential issues relating to eminent domain or code compliance and any language in the agreement that may be problematic.
Title Searches: A title search protects you from potential liens or judgments against the property. Equally important, it ensures that the seller has the right to sell the property. If the search presents potential concerns, a real estate lawyer can better provide insight into a course of action than a title company. In addition, they might negotiate a better deal due to the issue.
Property Transfer: If the real estate transaction involves a corporation, trust, partnership, or joint venture, the contract will be more involved. A real estate attorney can make sure the contract adheres to state requirements.
Filing: You must file any real estate transaction at the county and state levels. So, a local Montgomery or Bucks county attorney will uncover any regulations that may impact your transaction, like preservation issues. Plus, they'll help avoid income or estate taxes and building restrictions that could lead to fines or property loss.
Discrimination: Sometimes, buyers or sellers confront discrimination during the buying process. A real estate attorney can help address such an issue.
Our Real Estate Lawyers work at the Community and State Levels
Our Bucks County and Montgomery County real estate lawyers have supported real estate legal changes at the community and state levels. And they've advised municipalities on zoning and land use issues.
Our legal services associated with real estate are comprehensive and cover an array of commercial and real estate transactions, including:
- Affordable Housing
- Tax Credit Syndication
- Code Compliance
- Commercial Real Estate Transactions
- Construction Law Contracts
- Due Diligence
- Financing & Deal Structuring
- Leasing
- Purchase and Sale Agreements
- Condominium Development
- Construction Litigation
- Easements & Licenses
- Eminent Domain & Condemnation
- Environmental and Due Diligence Compliance
- Zoning, Land Use Development & Subdivisions
- Real Estate Litigation
- Real Estate Tax
- Assessments
- Exemptions
- Residential Real Estate Transactions
- Agreements of Sale
- Deeds
- Lease Agreements
- Title Issues
Experienced Real Estate Attorneys in Bucks and Montgomery Counties
Even though you're under no requirement to have an attorney on hand, it makes sense to have appropriate legal representation to avoid potential issues with a real estate transaction. For example, our real estate attorneys, including Bucks and Montgomery Counties, cover the greater Philadelphia area and are well versed in local codes and state laws to guard your transaction.
Whether you're a buyer or a seller, give our Doylestown or Norristown law offices a call to ensure your deal meets all the legal requirements.
You can also check out our real estate blogs for more insights into Pennsylvania's real estate laws and how they can impact you. Finally, give our law firm a call if you have additional questions.
