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In Illinois, as a general rule, both buyers and sellers use separate real estate attorneys to approve the accepted contract, and handle all of the necessary activities to successfully close their property sale transaction. So, how does one go about the business of selecting an attorney to do this? After all, Illinois ranks among the top tier of states with the most number of attorneys. Everyone who lives in a large metropolitan area probably knows more than one attorney and more than one real estate broker or agent. So what makes the difference? Do you want the most litigious or the meanest attorney? Probably not. How do you choose? We can advise you with some authority that one attorney is not the same as another; it really can make a big difference whom you choose. You wouldn't use a patent attorney to represent your child in a criminal case, or an adoption attorney to handle your personal injury suit. So why would you choose an inappropriate attorney to handle your real estate closing? After all, it's only money at stake here. The cost of using a real estate attorney is relatively minimal, but if a deal goes wrong, you could end up paying thousands of dollars for something overlooked, or handled inadequately. Think of using an attorney as a form of insurance.
Yes, most real estate transactions, if properly thought-through and written up from the start, will proceed nicely to closing with buyers and sellers remaining friendly. Buyers get the property, sellers get their money and all are happy. But...every now & then, a transaction starts off with some small doubts, mis-understandings, or mis-matched ideas or theories, then escalates into World War III of real estate deals. It's hard to tell in advance which set of personalities or set of circumstances will turn out to be a nightmare for you. But if this happens, it really matters if you have chosen an attorney who specializes in real estate, one who has just about seen and heard it all, one who knows how to make that important "first response" to a demand from the other side that translates into one that is in your best interests.
So, after you ask a prospective attorney how much they charge for a closing, also ask how many real estate transactions they close in a year's time, and how many years has their practice included real estate closings. You may be very glad you did.
Just please, don't choose your real estate attorney based only on family friendship or proximity; the attorney who did your aunt & uncle's Last Will & Testament may not have closed a real estate transaction in years. Compare. It does make a difference. And, remember, the best don't have to advertise, they have a steady referral business, so don't be surprised if some of the ones we list below aren't even listed in the phone book under any specialty.
Some Real Estate Attorneys (Alphabetical Order):
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Stephen Bernstein |
847.328.1181 |
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John M. Donohue |
847.475.3330 |
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John Keating |
847.475.0100 |
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Theresia Wolf-McKenzie |
312.876.6659 |
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Kristan Jakubco Richards |
773.588.3395 |
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Fred R. Sherman |
847.729.2900 Ext.2 |
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Jeffrey Strange |
847.256.7377 |
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