Everything people ask before they call
Plain answers to the questions that come up in the first meeting.
What does a closing cost, apart from your fee?
Title insurance, recording fees, transfer taxes, lender charges and your share of the prorations. The title company or lender sends you an estimate. We read it with you, and we point out anything that doesn't match your contract.
Do you take cases where I'm in a dispute with the other side?
Some. We handle disputes about deposits, title, boundaries and associations. We tell you at the first call if a matter needs a trial lawyer, and we will help you find one.
Do you represent tenants or handle evictions?
No. We act for buyers, sellers and owners, including landlords who are buying, selling or trading property. Evictions and disputes between landlords and tenants are for another practice.
Can I hire you for one question?
Yes. A single call or a one-hour read of a document is fine. Tell us what you need at the start and we will quote it before we begin.
Where do we meet?
At our office on University Avenue, or by phone and video if you live elsewhere. Closings happen where the title company schedules them, and we meet you there.
What should I bring to the first meeting?
The contract, any addenda, the title commitment if you have one, and any letter or notice that worried you. If you don't have one of these yet, come anyway.
How do your fees work?
A purchase, a sale and the legal work of an exchange each have a flat fee, and a first review of title records has its own. Anything else we quote in writing before we start. None of these cover title insurance, recording fees or transfer taxes.
Will you work with my agent and my lender?
Yes. We tell them what we need, and we copy you on what we send. We don't change a deal your agent negotiated without asking you first.
What happens if I change my mind about hiring you?
You can stop at any time. You pay for the work done up to that point, and we send you the file.
Do you keep what I send us private?
Yes. What you send is confidential once we're your lawyers. Before then, please don't send details through the form that you wouldn't want read by someone who isn't yet your lawyer.
One we didn’t answer?
Write or call. We reply in plain words.