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Top Santa Cruz, CA Real Estate Lawyers Near You

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Santa Cruz Real Estate Information

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Lead Counsel Verified Attorneys In Santa Cruz

Lead Counsel independently verifies Real Estate attorneys in Santa Cruz by conferring with California bar associations and conducting annual reviews to confirm that an attorney practices in their advertised practice areas and possesses a valid bar license for the appropriate jurisdictions.

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Are You Dealing with a Real Estate Law Issue?

Dealing with a real estate matter can be stressful, confusing and complex. No matter if you are selling a property or you want to purchase a property, you should speak with an experienced Santa Cruz real estate attorney. Your attorney will be able to help you with contract negotiations, avoid transaction disputes and possibly save time and frustration.

Different Types of Real Estate Cases

Real estate law covers a wide range of issues related to real property law. Some of these areas involve purchasing or selling real estate, renting real property and taxation issues associated to these activities. Bear in mind, real estate laws vary from state to state, so it is important to get the right information and guidance.

Whether you are buying or selling a home, this represents a substantial investment. It is important to protect your rights. Working with an experienced real estate attorney will guide you through the legal implications.

What does contingent mean in real estate?

In a real estate transaction like the sale of a house, a “contingency” clause in the contract acts as a way to cancel the contract if a certain event were to happen. For instance, if you make an offer and the seller accepts it, you may negotiate a contingency that accounts for a poor housing inspection allowing you to back out of the deal. If you need to sell your home as well, you could negotiate a contingency that allows you to back out of buying the new home if you can’t sell your current one.

What is a short sale?

A short sale is when the seller is selling the property for less than is owed on the mortgage. This could be a bank that repossessed the home in a foreclosure. In this case, the bank would sell the house, essentially hoping to get someone to buy the house, and the bank will forgive the difference that remains on the original mortgage. A short sale often presents a good opportunity to the right buyer who needs to save a bit of money.

Do I need a real estate lawyer or a real estate broker?

A broker (also known as an agent or realtor) represents people in the home buying or selling process. But they may not be as experienced when it comes to contract negotiations as a real estate lawyer. While you may not need a real estate lawyer for your home sale, they can help you deal with any unexpected roadblocks to the sale process. Some states also require a real estate attorney for any contract signings. If you are unsure, you could schedule a consultation.

Top Questions to Ask When Hiring an Attorney

  • How many years have you been practicing law? How long have you practiced law in the local area?
  • How many cases similar to mine have you handled in the past?
  • What is the likely outcome for my case?

In legal practice, experience matters. An experienced attorney will likely have handled issues similar to yours many, many times. Therefore, after listening to your situation, the attorney should have a reasonable idea of the time line for a case like yours and the likely resolution.

What to Expect from an Initial Consultation

  • Seek to determine whether the attorney can represent you. There is no one-size-fits-all legal solution and it may turn out your needs are better served by an attorney in a different specialization.
  • It’s important to find a legal ally who is both competent in the law and someone you can trust to protect your interests.
  • Discuss how the practice’s billing works and discuss possible additional charges or fees that may arise during or after the resolution of your case.

An attorney consultation should provide you with enough information so that you can make an informed decision on whether to proceed with legal help.

Points to Consider Before Hiring a Lawyer

Experience. Regardless of the type of legal matter you need help with, an experienced attorney will usually be able to get you better results.

Competence. Determine an attorney’s expertise by asking about their track record for the issue you need help with resolving.

Fit. There are plenty of good attorneys out there; make sure you find one you are comfortable working with.

Common legal terms explained

Affidavit – A sworn written statement made under oath. An affidavit is meant to be a supporting document to the court assisting in the verification of certain facts. An affidavit may or may not require notarization.

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