 TITLE: Do You Need a Real Estate Attorney to Buy a House? CONTENT: What Does a Real Estate Attorney Do?\n------------------------------------\nAs your advocate in the homebuying process, a real estate attorney typically handles the following tasks:\n*   **Title search and review**: The lawyer will research the status of the seller's title to the property up for sale to ensure that the seller is legally entitled to sell the home, and to identify any liens, judgments or other financial obligations that must be met before the property can be transferred to you. In cases other than short sales or foreclosures, the seller typically pays any outstanding obligations at the closing.\n*   **Sales contract prep or review**: In straightforward sales, this typically involves double-checking standardized documents prepared by a real estate agent. In more complicated sales, your attorney will play an active role in drafting or revising the sales contract to protect your interests. For instance, if a sale is contingent on the seller completing repairs on the property, your attorney can negotiate a timeline for the work to be done, specify that the seller put funds aside to cover their costs and spell out remedies you can pursue if the seller fails to get the work done as promised.\n*   **Consult at closing**: Ideally, any concerns you had with the seller will have been addressed by the time you close the deal and finalize your home purchase. The mountain of paperwork to be signed at closing can be daunting, however, so it's good to have your attorney available to explain documents and answer questions. In states where homebuyers are required to hire attorneys, this is the role they're typically required to play. END