How We Can Help You Purchase Your Home
The plan or dream to buy a home is likely to feel like a rollercoaster of emotions. Whether you are a first-time homebuyer or an experienced one, homebuyers typically report a wide range of emotional experiences throughout the process of purchasing a home. Whatever you experience along the way; you need to know that your real estate lawyer is with you from the time you sign the purchase contract through to closing and beyond.
After working with our team at the Bernard Law Group, people tell us that they are grateful they found us and that they never expected the level of attention and service we provided. We prioritize how you are doing throughout the entire transaction.
In addition to weekly phone check-ins and quick responses to your emails, phone calls, we remain in constant communication with your real estate agent, loan officer, the seller’s attorney, and all other third parties necessary to ensure that your home purchase experience is as smooth as possible. However, given our deep experience with home purchase transactions, we work proactively to avoid unnecessary delays, hurdles and other potential issues that can arise in a real estate purchase transaction.
Our priority of communication is to ensure that you are never wondering what’s going on throughout the transaction. We are present with you through the entire process, advocating, and representing your best interest with everything we’ve got. We are in it with you for the entire journey and we take this responsibility seriously.
Attorney Wendy Bernard Knows just how important finding a home is as she has experienced housing insecurity for much of her teenage years, moving almost twice per year. She has lived in her home in Southbury, Connecticut for nearly 20 years, and never forgets what it felt like to be mostly ignored by her real estate attorney. She considers it her mission to help everyone experience the security of home and to do so with a law firm that holds your hand, answers your questions, and truly supports you every step of the way.
Below is a list of the technical services we provide when we represent you in a residential real estate purchase transaction. These legal services play a crucial role in safeguarding your interests in the homebuying process, ensuring that the real estate transaction is conducted legally and with as few complications as possible. These services include, but are not limited to:
- Contract Review and Negotiations:
- Reviewing the purchase contract to ensure it protects the buyer’s interests
- Negotiating the terms of the contract, including downpayment matters, contingencies, and deadlines
- Due Diligence Assistance:
- Assisting you and your real estate agent in in conducting due diligence, which may include inspections, environmental assessments, and zoning checks
- Advising you on the implications of the due diligence findings and advocating for appropriate resolutions, as applicable
- Advising on legal obligations related to disclosures, permits, and inspections
- Title Search and Examination:
- Conducting a title search to verify the property’s ownership history.
- Examining the title to identify any liens, encumbrances, or legal issues that could affect your ownership rights
- Attorney Trust and Escrow Services:
- Receiving deposits, funds from your lender, or directly from you if purchasing by cash
- Handling the transfer of funds and documents between the buyer, seller, and relevant parties
- Reviewing Loan Documents:
- Reviewing mortgage loan documents to ensure the terms align with the your expectations, legal protections and lender requirements.
- Explaining the implications of loan terms and conditions
- Closing Representation:
- Representing your interests at the closing table.
- Ensuring that all necessary documents are signed, funds are transferred, and the property is legally transferred from the seller to the buyer.
- Title Insurance:
- Advising you on the benefits of purchasing title insurance to protect against unforeseen title issues.
- Preparing required title insurance policies.
- Property Tax and Assessment Review:
- Reviewing property tax assessments and advising you on tax status and any potential property tax liabilities.
- Submission of your initial property taxes to the appropriate town clerk after closing, if applicable
- Legal Advice on Contingencies:
- Providing legal guidance on contingencies, such as financing, inspection, and appraisal contingencies.
- Advising, guiding and assisting you on handling contingencies that arise during the transaction.
- Dispute Resolution:
- Resolving disputes that may arise during the buying process, such as issues with any third party in the transaction
- Pursuing legal action if necessary to protect your interests.
- Property Title Transfer and Recording:
- Preparing and filing all necessary legal documents to transfer the property’s title into your name
- Confirm or initiate the seller’s mortgage payoff, mechanics liens or other encumbrances that would impair your ownership of the property
- Legal Compliance and Regulatory Matters:
- Ensuring that the transaction complies with all local, state, and federal laws and regulations.
Need Help With Your Real Estate Transaction?
We love helping families, individuals, and agents navigate the real estate closing process. Call the Connecticut real estate attorneys at The Bernard Law Group today to see how we can help you achieve your real estate goals.