I’m Buying My First House in Brooklyn, How do I Choose An Attorney?
I got this question from a wonderful young nurse who is looking to purchase her first house, and I thought the answer to this question might be helpful to other first time home buyers.
What Type of Attorney To Choose
When choosing an attorney to represent you when you’re purchasing a home, you want to make sure the attorney focuses on Real Estate Law. There’s a lot of little nuances involved in a Brooklyn real 
estate transaction that a general attorney may not be familiar with, so its in your best interest to hire an attorney that is presently practicing Real Estate Law. If you’re buying a co-op or condo, make sure that the attorney you choose has experience in those specific transactions.
How to Find A Real Estate Attorney
The best way to find a good real estate attorney is to ask your family, friends and acquaintances for recommendations. No doubt someone that you know has been envolved in either buying or selling real estate and used an attorney. If no one you know can recommend someone (which would be the preferred method of choosing an attorney), you can go to the Brooklyn Bar Association’s website to find a real estate attorney or ask your realtor for a list of names.
How Much Will It Cost
Every attorney is different, and depending on his or her experience and other factors will charge anywhere between $500 (which is a deal I got from a family friend) to $1000 for a standard real estate transaction. In the end, the choice is yours, but don’t just let price be the main factor in choosing who will help represent you in what will probably be the biggest monetary transaction of your life.
Your real estate attorney is the person who will be looking out for your legal best interest in the deal, so choose someone who gives you the sense that he or she will make themselves available when you have questions, and you will have questions especially if this is your first time around.
Find the Attorney Before the House
Choosing an attorney is not difficult, but it is a task in the home buying (or selling) process that should take some time and thought, so if you’re seriously thinking about buying your first home, take the time to choose an attorney before you find that perfect house, co-op or condo.
