REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS

Real estate buyers and sellers want to avoid the same thing … surprises.  Surprises come with a long list of negatives.  They cost money, delay closings, limit your use the property, and on the list goes.  Attorneys have many tools to help their clients avoid surprises.  Below is a summary of some of the tools I use to help my clients.

PURCHASE AGREEMENTS

Small Batch Law will prepare your purchase agreement.

Avoiding surprises starts with your purchase agreement.  The contract terms used by buyers and sellers to protect themselves from surprises are very different.  They can give a buyer or seller lots of options or take them away.  These options, or the lack of them, dictate how the parties can deal with surprises that arise after the purchase agreement is signed.  Since these options usually benefit one party over another they are unlikely to get modified after the contract is signed.  It is therefore, important to get the terms of the purchase agreement right up front.

DUE DILIGENCE

Small Batch Law will advise you on your due diligence.

Surprises most often arise because critical information about the property is discovered after the purchase agreement is signed.  Buyers and sellers can avoid surprises by taking steps to uncover important information about the property.  What information is important, who looks for it and whether they look for it before or after the purchase agreement is signed are all essential questions.

TITLE

Small Batch Law will help you understand and resolve title issues.

Ownership rights in property are always limited to some degree. Understanding these title limitations is very important, but often overlooked by buyers and sellers.  Unlike other forms of due diligence which can be done by physical tests or inspections, title limitations are largely invisible leading to unpleasant surprises sometimes years after closing.  If a title company is involved, they will identify certain title limitations in their title commitment.  It is important to thoroughly evaluate these limitations and resolve any issues prior to closing. 

DEEDS

Small Batch Law will prepare your deed.

Deeds are the most important document in any real estate transaction.  They explain what ownership rights have been transferred and on what terms.  They can limit how the buyer can transfer the property in the future and, for individuals, affect how the property is transferred at death.  Careful attention to this document is needed to avoid future surprises.   

CONTACT US

Small Batch Law, LLC PO Box 620377, Middleton, WI 53562 608.575.9930 •

Hours:  9a-4p Monday-Thursday; 9a-Noon Friday

GETTING STARTED

When you contact Small Batch Law, I will need your name, contact info and business name, the names of other owners in your business, the identities of other parties involved, a brief description of your project and any deadlines.  This information will help me determine if I can assist you.  You should avoid sending me any private, sensitive or confidential information because our initial exchange does not create an attorney-client relationship between us.  If I can assist, I will send you an engagement letter describing what services I will provide and the associated fee. Our work together after this point will be as attorney and client.