Buying a home involves piles of legal documents. You need someone to translate the ‘legalese’ and ensure your best interests are protected. Finding a good lawyer There are lots of good lawyers out there. Ask your friends or people at work. REALTORS® will happily give you the names of several good lawyers. They can’t legally recommend just one, but they’ll only refer lawyers experienced in real estate. Be sure you ask how they structure their fees, and get an estimate of the other legal costs you can expect. How your lawyer will help There are many, many legal steps to transferring ownership of land from one person to another. Even if pitfalls like fraud, government legislation, zoning issues or unpaid taxes don’t come up, your lawyer will more than earn their pay by making the legal transfer of the home a smooth one. Don’t be scared of your lawyer They are here to help you. Ask questions if you don’t understand anything. Explaining legal jargon in plain language is a big part of their job. Here are some Lawyers I personally recommend: Vincent Pettipas - 204-57 Portland Street, Dart., N.S. B2Y 1H1 (902) 463-0008 Blair MacKinnon - 92 Ochterloney Street, Dart., N.S. B2Y 1C5 (902) 465-6669 Paula Condran - 1160 Bedford Hwy, Bedford, N.S. B4A 1C1 (902) 835-2300 Gordon Allen - 1472 Dresden Row, Halifax, N.S. B3J 3T5 (902) 492-3633 |