This article makes the case for always using a real estate attorney for purchasing Boston Real Estate. Whether its a condo in the city or a single family in the suburbs your real estate attorney will protect you.
When its time to inspect a home and sign a P&S agreement,
I have noticed my buyers trying to figure out if they can get away without a real estate attorney. The answer is unequivocally NO! Its just too risky especially with Boston condos which come with a 3 inch stack of condo rules and regulations for the association you are buying into as well as a Master deed which is often over 100 pages.
Your real estate attorney reads all that and with their training can
spot some red flags that will cost you money down the line.
Without a real estate attorney you are wide open for problems. As an example, she will urge you to get title insurance which costs about $1500 and protects you if there are any legal problems somewhere in the past. Remember that many of these condos and single family homes have changed ownership dozens of times since 1880 to 1900 when most Back Bay, Beacon Hill, South End and Brookline buildings were constructed. If there is a problem somewhere down the line this Title insurance protects you from any claims on the property.
Whew! It would be a life warping event if you were to loose your home on a legal technicality. For instance, maybe someone in the 60s sold the unit on false pretenses. If someone did not even have the right to sell the property they could come after you. Your Title insurance will protect you, your property and your money. $1500 well invested. Most people are open to doing things themselves to save money. Please believe me when I tell you this is not the place to pinch pennies.
Title insurance is just one example of sound advice from a real estate attorney. If you dont have a lawyer it increases your chances of getting short changed in some manner. She actually READS that 3 inch stack looking for potential problems.
How do you find a good real estate attorney?
Most Buyers Agents like me keep a current list of qualified lawyers. This list contains information about the best we have worked with. These real estate attorneys know how to handle condos in the city as well as suburban single family homes.
Here is my current list of the best real estate
attorneys I have worked with.
Marisa S. Gregg, Esquire
Clark, Hunt & Embry
55 Cambridge Parkway
Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142
Tel: (617) 494-1920
Fax: (617) 494-1921
mgregg@chelaw.com
Laura E. Days, Esq.
Israel, Van Kooy & Days, LLC
1318 Beacon Street, Suite 19
Brookline, MA 02446
Tel. (617) 277-3774
Fax. (617) 277-6520
ldays@socialaw.com
Joseph Rubinstein
Marsh, Moriarty, Ontell & Darcey
18 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02108
Tel.617- 742-1822
Fax 617- 720-2565
Mark A. McCue
McCue & Lee, LLP
535 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02116-3720
Tel.617-236-0212
Fax 617-236-0797
Sandra C. Steele
Hoffman & Hoffman
44 School St, 6th Fl. (Suite 610)
Boston, MA 02108
Tel.617-523-0666
Fax 617-523-6502
Buyers Be Represented, Not Sold!
