Happy couple making a deal with financial advisor on a meeting at home. role of a real estate attorney
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    The Role of a Real Estate Attorney in Your Home Purchase

    The role of a real estate attorney in your Chicago or Des Plaines home purchase can make a big difference in how smoothly your transaction proceeds. Real estate attorneys can review your contracts, prevent or resolve title issues, and help you protect yourself legally during closing, among other things.

    You deserve to make your home purchase with peace of mind, and that can happen with an attorney’s assistance. Call The Rogoff Law Group at (847) 768-2194 to discuss your needs.

    Navigating Home Purchase Contracts With a Real Estate Attorney

    Home purchase contracts are legally binding and outline home sale terms. They often include purchase price, contingencies, and deadlines. They can also be complex, long, and filled with jargon. Real estate attorneys help home buyers cut through much of that to better review and interpret these contracts. They can serve as your guide to real estate contracts.

    Without attorneys, buyers might not realize the importance or true meaning of clauses or that some terms are to their disadvantage. A skilled real estate lawyer can do the following:

    • Review your expectations and interests
    • Clarify ambiguous language
    • Identify and explain risks
    • Ensure that sellers make required disclosures
    • Help you set or meet contingencies in areas such as home inspections, financing, or appraisal

    The role of a real estate attorney involves making sure you do not sign anything that leads to problems. For example, some people make home purchases with the intent of not living in those homes full-time. Maybe they plan to rent the homes out, flip them, or have adult children or other family members live there. In Chicago, about 45.5% of housing units are owner-occupied. An attorney can make sure that the home purchase contract aligns with the buyer’s goals for the property and that these uses are legally sound.

    Resolving Title Issues With the Help of a Real Estate Lawyer

    Title issues sometimes arise during home purchases and complicate the process immensely. After all, for a property to change hands, its title must be clear. Clear means there cannot be legal claims or encumbrances that affect ownership.

    Title disputes in Chicago or Des Plaines often stem from previous owners, liens, or errors in records. To use liens as an example, they can cause problems if the seller has unpaid property or income taxes, did not pay a contractor for work done, or has a mortgage or home equity loan on the property that is not resolved before the sale, among other things. Resolving title disputes with a real estate lawyer is much easier than trying to do it yourself.

    A major role of a real estate attorney is to conduct complete title searches to identify concerns. Many times, no title dispute arises. If one does, the attorney works with the title company and other parties to solve the issue as quickly and efficiently as possible. This helps prevent closing delays and should let you take ownership of the house without being weighed down by legal complications. A lawyer may also help you get title insurance. It can protect you from title issues that occur after the sale.

    Protecting Your Investment: The Attorney’s Role in Closing Your Home Purchase

    Closing involves signing many documents and paying fees. It is the last step in buying a home, and it is a point where legal issues can catch you off guard. Mistakes can happen, and part of a real estate attorney’s role is to check that everything is in order before you sign.

    For example, attorneys review the closing documents to make sure all terms have been met and all disclosures made. They also verify that no last-minute issues are in play. A title search completed a while ago should ensure that the title is clear.

    Your real estate attorney can help you prepare financially for closing. There are closing costs and possible tax implications to be aware of, and overlooking anything can make for an unexpected financial hit at this stage. If you are also selling a home, a real estate lawyer can advise you, perhaps helping with how to sell your house when the market is slow.

    Working with a real estate attorney for home purchase contracts offers extra layers of security. Legal issues that arise during and after the home purchase can be expensive. An attorney is an investment that saves many people money and stress.

    The real estate lawyer cost can range from $500 to $1,500 total for typical home purchases. Some attorneys charge flat rates, while others work on hourly rates. When you talk with attorneys you are considering working with, be sure you understand the billing format and costs involved.

    Offering Legal Protection in Chicago That Real Estate Agents Do Not

    Real estate agents can be major sources of assistance during the home purchase process, helping buyers find homes and negotiate deals. Real estate attorneys, meanwhile, focus on legal and contractual aspects with which agents do not help, or cannot help, with completely.

    Agents do assist with some of these aspects. For instance, they can use public information to inform you about red flags with the property’s title and may be able to facilitate communication with the title company. An attorney does much more in-depth work, making sure no legal issues should hold you back, and resolving any that arise. With contracts, agents should be able to explain the rationale of many general clauses. They may not be able to catch specifically worded red flags, nor can they offer legal advice.

    For closing, agents handle logistics such as scheduling the date, time, and location, and checking that inspections have been completed. Real estate attorneys, meanwhile, make sure all documents pass legal muster, that finances are in order, and that the ownership transfer happens as planned. They can handle legal issues that occur during closing.You need legal protection during the home buying and home closing process. Contact us today at The Rogoff Law Group to discuss what we can do for you.

    He helps clients resolve issues relating to family law, including divorce, parenting time and parental responsibilities, paternity, and child support. As a skilled real estate attorney as well, Scott also provides advice and legal representation to clients who are purchasing or selling residential or commercial property in Illinois.

    Years of Experience: Approx. 30 years
    Illinois Registration Status: Active
    Bar & Court Admissions: Illiois Courts Northern District of Illinois Federal Courts Illinois State Bar Association Chicago Bar Association
    Happy couple making a deal with financial advisor on a meeting at home. role of a real estate attorney

    He helps clients resolve issues relating to family law, including divorce, parenting time and parental responsibilities, paternity, and child support. As a skilled real estate attorney as well, Scott also provides advice and legal representation to clients who are purchasing or selling residential or commercial property in Illinois.

    Years of Experience: Approx. 30 years
    Illinois Registration Status: Active
    Bar & Court Admissions: Illiois Courts Northern District of Illinois Federal Courts Illinois State Bar Association Chicago Bar Association

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