Questions
What people ask on a first call
Do you handle ordinary home purchases?
Yes, for homes and land. My focus is the parcel's use and title, so I'm most useful when something about either is unclear.
Can you tell me whether I can build before I buy?
I can read the zoning, overlays, permit file and recorded papers and tell you what they say. The county decides what it will approve, so I help you ask in writing when it's close.
How is the work billed?
A review or a closing has a flat fee, quoted in writing after I've read the papers. Permit applications, hearings and disputes are billed hourly, with an estimate first. Title insurance, recording, survey and filing fees are separate and paid to the people who charge them.
What should I send first?
The address or parcel number, the contract or listing if there is one, and the title report or survey if you have them. A sentence on what you plan to do with the land helps most.
Do you go to planning hearings?
Yes, when a use permit or variance needs one. I prepare the application, the letters and what you'll say.
What if my neighbor won't sign?
We look at what the records already show and at what the neighbor would accept in return. Many matters end with a short written agreement; a few need a court.
Do you take HOA disputes or 1031 exchanges?
HOA disputes over approvals and fines, yes. For a 1031 exchange I handle the contract and title side and work with your qualified intermediary; tax advice comes from your tax advisor.
Do you represent landlords?
I review leases and recorded agreements for owners who rent out land or buildings. I don't handle evictions or tenant disputes.
Still deciding whether you need a lawyer?
Send the question with the parcel number. I'll tell you honestly whether it needs one.