For many people, buying or selling a house is one of the most significant transactions of their life, and it stands to reason that you’d want to turn to a professional rather than navigating the process on your own. If you’re purchasing a new home or considering selling your house, your first inclination might be to enlist the help of a realtor. But while buying and selling agents can be a good option, you may be surprised to learn that a real estate attorney might actually be the best option.
REALTOR VS. REAL ESTATE ATTORNEY:
Obligations to the client
A real estate agent’s obligations to his or her client are somewhat limited, and he or she may not necessarily be working in your best interest. For example, a real estate agent can represent both the buyer and the seller in the same transaction, or could even be the buyer, which obviously could leave you in a very vulnerable position. Attorneys, on the other hand, have a very clear duty to their clients. Our conflict of interest rules make it so we can only represent one side of a transaction. The real estate lawyer-client relationship provides for a high degree of privacy and confidentiality, which does not exist in a real estate agent-client relationship.
Legal counsel and Expert Negotiations
You can probably infer that a real estate attorney is better equipped to provide you with legal guidance than a real estate agent is. Agents can fill out forms, but they can neither draft forms nor modify existing forms. They also cannot provide legal advice regarding those “standardized forms”—only an attorney can do that. Attorneys, on the other hand, can draw up a contract, explain its terms to you in detail, and give you all the legal counsel you might—and will—need as you go through the process of selling your home. Attorneys are also expert negotiators with years of experience in haggling over contract terms.
Cost Is the Same
You might be worries that an attorney charges more for their expertise than a realtor. Not so. Attorneys fees are limited by the State Bar of California and must be reasonable. Kristy Hernandez typically charges a standard 2.5% commission as any other realtor. This means you get all the extra experience of an attorney for the same price as a realtor.
Consider attorney kristy hernadnez
If you’re thinking of buying or selling a home, turn to Kristy Hernandez with Hernandez Law & Realty. In addition to practicing law, attorney Kristy Hernandez is also a licensed Real Estate Broker and an avid real estate investor, which gives her the knowledge and experience to help you sell your house at the best possible price and terms that you can hope for. Contact our office today to discuss your real estate needs and our services.