Rolling Meadows, IL Real Estate Closings Attorney

Real Estate Lawyer Serving Cook County and DuPage County

Buying a house is the biggest investment most people will make. Yet some people will still let their real estate agent prepare a fill-in-the-blanks contract and sign it without even having an attorney review it.

Illinois law does not require you to hire a lawyer in order to buy or sell real estate. So, you might assume the documents and procedures for buying and selling property must be completely standardized and that you can handle the closing yourself. You might assume that between the real estate agent and the title company that handles the closing, you will have all the advice you need.

In reality, there are many ways that a real estate transaction can go sideways, and neither your real estate agent nor the title company representative is allowed to advise you on legal issues.

At Hartsfield Law, we are well-versed in all aspects of real estate transactions, both residential and commercial. We will ensure that the documents you sign are fair to you, not just fair to the other party (who most likely does have a lawyer on their side). Our sole focus will be on you: making sure you understand the terms of the deal, that you get what you want out of the deal, and that your closing goes smoothly.

Reasons to Hire a Lawyer When Buying or Selling Property

Your lawyer will help you understand the details of your transaction and work to protect your interests throughout the buying/selling process. Additional reasons to hire a lawyer to advise you on a real estate transaction include:

• An attorney will be the one person who is specifically looking out for your legal interests when the terms of the sale (the real estate contract) are being negotiated and at the final real estate closing meeting. Your real estate agent's driving interest is to close the deal and get their commission. The title company is getting paid for the title insurance policy and handling the mortgage and government paperwork. Neither of them can or should give you legal advice.
• If something goes wrong with the deal, your lawyer will know how to handle it. For example, the other party to the sale might try to change the terms of the deal at the last minute, or you might learn that the other party has failed to disclose negative information about the property.
• If you are planning to modify the property you are buying or are thinking about running a business on the property, your attorney can advise you on local zoning laws.
• If you are buying a condominium or other property governed by a homeowner's association, your lawyer can review the by-laws, rules and regulations, and recent board meeting minutes to help you avoid surprises about what you can and cannot do with your unit. This is particularly important if you are thinking about renting out your unit some or all of the time.
• If you are buying a property jointly with others, you will want a lawyer to help structure the terms of co-ownership.
• If you are in the process of moving or travel a lot for work, your attorney can represent you at the closing, so you do not need to be there.

Real Estate Lawyer With Offices in Rolling Meadows, Chicago, and Oakbrook Terrace

If you want to feel secure and protected throughout the process of closing on a property, choose Hartsfield Law. We are dedicated to checking every number and detail in your closing documents to ensure that everything is accurate and accounted for. We serve clients across Cook County and DuPage County from our offices in Oakbrook Terrace, Rolling Meadows, and Chicago. Before you sign an offer letter or any other documents, contact us at 312-345-1700.