No hard and fast rules apply for determining the real estate lawyer fees. It is very much negotiable and flexible. Much depends upon your requirement. If you want a lawyer to simply assist with conveyancing in order to ensure a smooth transaction, the rates should be less. If you want a real estate lawyer to resolve an issue where the title is not clear or there are encroachments on the property, the lawyer might charge more.
For finding a reasonable lawyer to handle your case, you can search for an online real estate lawyer. There are websites that provide you with links to the law firms which can handle your case. In your quest to find a lawyer who charges less fees, don’t forget that your aim is to settle the case. Don’t compromise on the experience and the expertise of the lawyer.
The Five Fee Structures For The Real Estate Lawyer Fees:
There are basically five kinds of lawyer fees structures:
1.Fixed Fees : This is the flat or fixed fee that the lawyer will charge you on the completion of the legal task that needs to be done. This is applicable for cases where the time, skill and effort required for the task can be judged by the lawyer almost accurately.
2.Time Based fees : In this kind of the structure, lawyers charge hourly fees charged. This kind of arrangement is mostly seen in cases which involve business dealings for the sale or purchase of business properties.
3.Contingency Fees : If it is a case regarding getting claims in case of accidents or damages to the property, then a percentage of the recovered amount is charged as the real estate lawyer fees.
4.Asset based fees : In cases of real estate contracts and closings, the fee of the lawyer is determined by the amount of money involved in it. For a highly priced property, lawyer will get higher fees.
5.Statutory : In some cases like Government properties or charity causes, the fee charged is statutory and based on a fixed percentage of the settlements.
No matter how you find a real estate lawyer, whether it is through referrals, contacts or Internet, the legal fees charged by them should be reasonable. If there are any disputes regarding the fees and other agreement terms, there is a provision for legal procedure to solve these problems.
The written contract between you and your lawyer should contain details about the fees charged. Always carefully go through all clauses of the agreement between you and your real estate attorney so that there are no disputes regarding any fees. This will create a good working atmosphere for both of you and will result in faster resolution of the real estate issue.