Questions about the work and the fee
The ones I hear most. Rules differ from place to place and contract to contract, so treat these as a start, not advice on your situation.
I already have a real estate agent. Why would I need a lawyer?
Your agent negotiates the price and keeps the deal moving, and a good one is worth every bit of the commission. What an agent can't do is tell you what a clause means for you legally, or what to do when the title commitment lists something nobody expected. That's the part I do, and I'm glad to work alongside your agent.
What does it cost?
Buying or selling a house is a flat fee, quoted in writing before I start. That covers reading the contract, reviewing the title commitment, answering title objections, and going over every closing document with you before you sign. Title insurance, recording and escrow fees are separate; the title company charges them at closing. Title problems, HOA disputes and 1031 exchanges are billed by the hour, and I'll give you an estimate in writing before I start.
I've already signed the purchase agreement. Is it too late?
Usually not. Most contracts give you days to inspect, to get financing and to object to the title, and each of those is a door you can still use. Send me the contract today and I'll tell you which deadlines are still open.
Can we do all of this without meeting in person?
Yes. Plenty of my clients are moving here on orders or selling from somewhere else. We can talk by phone or video, I send documents by email, and you can sign in front of a notary wherever you are.
What should I send before our first call?
Whatever you have: the purchase agreement or listing agreement, the title commitment, any survey or plat, and for a condo the association's resale certificate and bylaws. If you only have an address and a worry, that's enough to start.
Do you take landlord and tenant cases, or commercial property?
No. I work on homes, condos, cabins and small rentals of up to four units, at the buying, owning and selling end. I don't handle evictions, lease disputes or commercial buildings, and I'll give you the names of lawyers who do.
Will you come to the closing?
Yes, for a purchase or sale I'm there in person at the title company, or on video if you're signing somewhere else.
How quickly can you look at a contract?
Tell me the first deadline when you send it. I plan my week around the files with the nearest dates.
Do you work outside Anchorage?
I take houses and cabins across the state when the closing can be handled by mail and video, and the title company is one I can work with.
Still wondering about your own house?
A short question gets a short answer, at no charge.