Choosing a real estate lawyer is an important decision when faced with the real estate legalities. Real estate attorneys are not created equal for starters, and the process is not all about picking a name from the phone book at random.
Meeting the Lawyer Personally
You can’t hire a real estate lawyer based on no more than a phone conversation. Set a personal meeting with the attorney and see how keenly they listen to you talking about your case. Use this opportunity to check for personal chemistry with the person. Without a doubt, you need to be at least comfortable with this attorney’s company, or you’ll risk a positive outcome for you case.
No Promises
Avoid a real estate attorney who makes guarantees about how your case plays out. If they start bragging about never losing a case before, be wary. In fact, lawyers need time to know the merits of a case before they can even talk about probabilities. A good one will only tell you whether they have worked on cases like yours in the past and offer expert guidance.
Personal Recommendations
Seek referrals from relatives and friends who might have experienced the situation you’re currently in. If you know a lawyer who practices in another legal field or perhaps even a judge, why not ask them too? If you couldn’t get referrals, read online lawyer reviews on the Internet, but do check your sources (marketing websites should be avoided because they are often biased, if not misleading).
Attorney Fees
In terms of fees, don’t pick someone simply because they charge the lowest or the highest. There are a lot of other things to look into, and most definitely, a lawyer’s fees do not indicate how good they are or how right they are for your case. If a lawyer charges too cheap, however, you should consider it a red flag. The cost of representation has to do with factors including the attorney’s experience, the location, how simple or complicated the case is, and so on. The idea is to meet with at least three prospective attorneys and compare them. Skipping this step means you cannot accurately say that you’ve chosen the best.
No Rush
Nowadays, people are so busy that they will usually settle with the first lawyer who returns their call, which is a terrible idea. Legal experts are not all created equal, and obviously, you’ll want the one who’s most perfect for you. If you’re frustrated over a deal gone wrong, don’t expect it to instantly work out. Take your time searching for the right attorney and you will have no regrets.