Lanigan & Lanigan, P.L.
831 W. Morse Blvd., Winter Park, Florida 32789
407-740-7379
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Real Estate
The decision to sell or purchase a home is one of the biggest financial decisions most people will ever make so it is wise to consult with an attorney. In Winter Park Florida, the median home price is near $320,000 with homes in the upper value range exceeding a million dollars. It is wise to protect such a large financial investment from the beginning of the real estate transaction. You may want to save closing fee costs and will think to yourself: Do I need an attorney to buy a home in Florida? The answer is can you afford not to? Do I Need an Attorney to Buy a Home in Florida? When you consider purchase prices in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, consulting an experienced attorney before, during and even after the sale is prudent advice. Problems can occur at any step in the transaction, so having an experienced real estate attorney can save you money in the end. Eric Lanigan of Lanigan and Lanigan, P.L., provides consultations to buyers and sellers as well as the many professionals involved in each step of the real estate transaction. It is better to consult with an attorney early in the process rather than risk litigation after the fact. Hire an Attorney Before the Sale The document to list your home for sale is a legal document. This document spells out the details surrounding the sale of your home. The contract details the pricing, commission rates, exclusions of personal property and possible penalties should the seller cancel the contract. The Disclosure Form The seller prepares the disclosure document as a tool to...
Real Estate
Florida’s real estate market is an investor’s dream according to media accounts, but it is not the place for an amateur home buyer or first time commercial investor. Homes in foreclosure, homes being sold via short sale, HUD homes and even experienced commercial purchases can become a nightmare for sloppy, hurried buyers who don’t get their own inspections or work with an experienced real estate attorney. Properties have been sitting empty sometimes for years with no maintenance, improper and illegal repairs, non-licensed rebuilds, add-ons, roofs and buildings. If you buy a property and are just now realizing that the seller lied about a property’s pre-existing condition like a leaky roof, you now bear the responsibility of tracking down who’s to blame and why you ended up with the bad deal. Florida real estate disclosure laws are firm and clear. But desperate times have produced desperate sellers who lie. Yes, lie to get rid of the large number of ailing properties across the state. Did a Real Estate Attorney Review the Contract? Florida real estate attorney Eric Lanigan’s going to ask you whether full disclosure of the issue was made. Then he’ll ask whether you had a real estate attorney review the final documents. Hopefully you did consult with a real estate attorney. If you had then you would know that the issue was completely divulged and you didn’t question it, didn’t get your own private home inspector because you were on a budget and didn’t want to add several hundred dollars to the price of a several hundred thousand dollar home. First, you had better realize that not every...
Real Estate, The Law
A major increase in real estate litigation comes due to issues surrounding agency representation according to Winter Park attorney Eric Lanigan. Buying and selling a new home is an emotional experience. It can also become a legal experience if you hire a realtor to find the home of your dreams or sell your home and something doesn’t work out as planned. Regardless if it’s your home, a home you’re buying, are having issues with a disclosure form or a dispute over a home warranty, a property line, a land zoning or quality issue consult with Lanigan and Lanigan, P.L. If you have a problem purchasing property work with Florida real estate attorney Eric Lanigan or Roddy Lanigan to handle your legal issues. The number one reason that real estate agents and brokers are involved in litigation are due to client and agent issues regarding agency representation according to a survey conducted every two years by The National Association of Realtors. Agency representation issues refer to whether a real estate agent represents buyers or sellers or provides dual agency representing both parties. If a realtor represents both parties, it must be divulged before the contract for agency is signed. Agency representation cases rose 36 percent from 2009. Agency issues were one of the top 3 causes of litigation: Agency 73% Property condition disclosures 68% Ethics 53% Third-party liability 49% Fair housing 48% Technology 48% Anti-trust issues 47% The lawsuits were based on accusations that an agent or a broker had breached client fiduciary duty. For example, an agent was accused of failing to explain the importance of property disclosures and instructing...
