Are you looking to buy or sell real estate in British Columbia? Morris-Law is here to take the hassle out of buying real estate! Our team has experience working on residential and commercial real estate transactions, providing legal services to first-time buyers and real estate investors. We are happy to help you with educated legal assistance regarding all aspects of the real estate transaction process, from mortgage refinancing to property title transfers.
Here are some of the questions you might have on your mind.
What does a real estate lawyer do?
Here are some things that a real estate lawyer will do to make sure your real estate purchase or sale goes smoothly.
- Land title transfers (as well as title searches and registration)
- Assistance when you refinance your mortgage
- Registration of your mortgage, and reviewing your mortgage documents and mortgage rates with you)
- Providing a Statement of Adjustments
- Review any relevant strata documents relating to your translation
- Review and pay any outstanding strata fees, leans, etc.
- Pay outstanding property taxes
- Provide advice on legal documents like purchase agreements
- A real estate lawyer can negotiate certain things on your behalf with a closing lawyer
- Help you with creative purchasing strategies (e.g. vendor takeback or mortgage assumptions in a commercial real estate transaction, etc.)
When do you need a real estate lawyer?
Timing is everything when it comes to real estate transactions! We suggest that our clients start looking for a real estate lawyer in their area as soon as they have a full commitment to buying or selling their property. You want to make sure that you give yourself enough time to find the right fit in terms of work style, fee structure and availability. We say, the sooner you contact a real estate lawyer, the fewer items you will need to worry about on your to-do list relating to your real estate transaction.
Will a real estate lawyer provide advice about contracts?
Depending on your situation, you might want to use a real estate lawyer to advise you on contract information. This is especially true for commercial real estate deals. Commercial real estate contracts are more complex than residential ones – you want to make sure that you have no surprises and all the fine print information has been explained to you clearly for your benefit. The same goes for residential real estate transactions – it doesn’t hurt to have a second opinion on your contract, even though your realtor is well-equipped to do so. If you are making a private sale and do not have a realtor working with you, the importance of having a real estate lawyer is even more prominent to make sure your contract is written in your favour.
What to ask a real estate lawyer?
Here are some of the questions we suggest asking when you are looking for a real estate lawyer.
- How much time will they need for closing the translation
- Learn about their fee structure
- Check their availability
- Ask if they had experience dealing with real estate transactions in your area
- What is the process of signing documents (online, mobile, in-person)
- What documents are needed to get the process started
Still, have questions? We are happy to help! Please visit our law firm located in Downtown Vancouver, and we will be glad to assist you. Call 778-819-8553 to book your appointment today!
