When evaluating your finances and other aspects of your life during the first of the year when everyone is coming up with New Year's Resolutions and making sure things are in order, you likely don't think of adding a real estate attorney to the team of professionals that help you handle your personal affairs. However, while you hopefully won't need the services of a real estate attorney on a daily basis, it is important to establish a relationship with a competent lawyer that practices in this area of the law. The following are the three most likely scenarios that will require the services of a qualified real estate attorney.
Contract Issues
Even after you purchase your home and the deal is closed, you may find that there is a problem with the contract you signed. These issues are rare; however, it is important to have the services of a qualified real estate attorney at your disposal to help you resolve any issues in a timely manner. It's much easier to face a small issue head-on and resolve it right away than to wait until that issue has snowballed into a giant problem that requires months of litigation and thousands of dollars in attorney fees to straighten out.
Boundary Disputes
When you purchased your home, you likely had a surveyor come out and survey the property lines. However, this is not foolproof. Property boundary disputes can pop up years after you purchase your home. These disputes can arise out of confusion between homeowners on where the property lines fall. Other situations happen because a homeowner just isn't happy with the property lines and wants a modification. Your real estate attorney will help you assert your rights and ensure that your neighbor does not attempt to encroach upon your property.
Neighbor Disagreements
Many disagreements between neighbors can be resolved by sitting down and talking things out in a calm, rational manner. If the neighborhood is governed by a Homeowners' Association (HOA), the Board may need to step in and help find a resolution. However, in a few cases, these methods do not work, and further action must be taken. If you have a competent real estate attorney on retainer, you will always have a reliable source for information on relevant laws. And in the event you need to escalate a situation to court or mediation, your attorney will be able to assist you in getting an acceptable outcome.
Share11 January 2017
