 TITLE: Do You Need a Real Estate Attorney to Buy a House? CONTENT: Why You Should Get a Real Estate Attorney\n-----------------------------------------\nMany states require the parties in a real estate sale to have an attorney present at closing, when all binding sale documents are signed. Those states are listed below.\nIn some cases, the buyer and seller can share the costs of this attorney; in others, each party is expected to hire their own counsel. Even in states where it's not mandatory, hiring a real estate attorney is often advisable for homebuyers.\nThe paperwork is straightforward enough in many traditional real estate transactions to be prepared by real estate agents using standard boilerplate appropriate to the state and county where the sale will take place. Having a lawyer review those documents may not be necessary, although you can probably arrange it for a reasonable fee, and the peace of mind might be well worth it.\nIt's much more important that you, as a homebuyer, have a lawyer advocating for you under any of the following circumstances:\n*   You are buying the home in a short sale from a buyer seeking to avoid foreclosure.\n*   You are buying the home in a foreclosure auction or from a lender as a real estate-owned property.\n*   The home is a rental property, and you plan on removing tenants so you can move in yourself, to renovate the property, or for any other reason.\n*   The home features unusual structures or features (in-law apartments, outbuildings) that could run up against zoning laws.\n*   You are buying a home in another state.\nA seasoned real estate attorney can help you avoid contractual surprises and guide you through any issues that arise as a home sale progresses from offer letter to closing. END