“I thought the contract was routine. Orson found a deadline on page six that would have cost me my deposit, and he called me before I had finished reading his email.”
Susannah R.Bought a house
Real estate law in Gainesville
Ask what happens next, before you sign
Buyers, sellers and landlords come to us with questions that begin “what happens to my…”. We read the papers, find the date that matters and answer in plain words.
What happens to my…
- Deposit, if the appraisal comes in low?Buying
- Offer, if the seller won’t fix what the inspection found?Buying
- Sale, if the buyer asks for a credit the day before closing?Selling
- Title, if an old lien turns up in the records?Clearing title
- Dues, if the association adds a special assessment?Association disputes
- Rental, if I sell it and want to buy another?Trading up
What we do
Four verbs a house needs a lawyer for
Most of our work is one of these. Each has its own page, a flat fee where the work is predictable, and a plain list of what the fee leaves out.
- Get in01
Buy
We read the purchase contract before you sign it and again before closing: the deposit terms, the inspection and financing dates, what the title commitment lists. You learn which deadlines can cost you money.
What buying covers - Get out02
Sell
From the listing agreement to the deed. We check what you promise the buyer, answer repair and title requests, and make sure the closing statement matches the contract you signed.
What selling covers - Get it straight03
Clear
An old lien, a gap in the chain of owners, a fence on the wrong side of the line, a special assessment nobody mentioned. We find what the records say and what can be done about it.
What clearing covers - Get into the next one04
Trade
For landlords and owners who sell one property to buy another: the exchange calendar, the intermediary and the contracts at both ends. Your accountant decides the tax; we watch the deadlines.
What trading covers
Questions we hear before the contract is signed
Short answers here. The questions page has the longer ones.
My agent and the title company say they have it covered. Do I still need a lawyer?
An agent negotiates the price and keeps the sale moving. A title company searches the records and handles the money. Neither is there to tell you what a clause in the contract means for you. That is our part, and we work alongside both.
What does the flat fee cover?
A purchase and a sale each have a flat fee. Each covers reading the contract and its addenda, reviewing the title commitment and the closing statement, answering your questions by phone or email, and sitting beside you at closing. It doesn't cover title insurance, recording fees, transfer taxes or lender charges. Others set those, and they show on your closing statement.
I own a few rentals. Do you handle evictions?
No. We buy, sell, lease and trade rental property with landlords, and we help with title and association problems. Evictions and tenant disputes are a different kind of practice, and we will point you to a lawyer who takes them.
How soon can you read my contract?
Send it as soon as you have it, even before you have decided. When we confirm it arrived, we tell you the day you will have our notes, and we move faster if a deadline is close.
What if the trouble starts after closing?
Tell us anyway. A lien found later, a survey that doesn't match the deed or a notice from the association can often still be dealt with. Bring everything you signed.
Who sits across from you
The same three lawyers, from first call to keys
We are a small firm on University Avenue. Orson Hollingsworth and Rosamund Bergeron started it, and Isidore Delacroix joined to take the title and association work.
The lawyer who reads your contract is the lawyer beside you at closing. You get a direct line, and we answer questions in plain words, not in memos.
One lawyer on your matter from start to finish
Questions answered by phone or email
A written fee before we begin
From people we have worked with
“The buyer wanted a credit the day before closing. Rosamund explained what I owed, what I didn’t, and what to say. We closed on time.”
Brannon K.Sold a rental
“Isidore found a lien from the previous owner that our title search had missed. It took a few weeks to clear, and he told me every step.”
Marigold S.Bought a condo
Each client's matter is different. These are sample comments, and they don't predict the result of yours.
Tell us what's keeping you up at night
Write or call. A lawyer reads your note and tells you whether we can help and what it would cost, before you send anything else.