This question is really kind of an understatement because, without a real estate lawyer, you can’t really do much in real estate. You might be able to rent out a vacation home to people you know and trust, but if you want to do anything beyond that, you need a lawyer.
Can you imagine the headache of having to worry about two or more rental properties and the tenants inside? Between accidents, failure to pay rent, and frivolous lawsuit seekers (yes, they exist) it’s integral to have a lawyer on retainer.
But that’s just if you’re playing it small time with rentals you own. What if you’re flipping properties? Engaging in seller-financed arrangements? Building a development? Acquiring a portfolio of commercial properties? You can’t do any of that without running into a myriad of legal issues. Most of these issues you will not be able to handle yourself.
Just take a look at anyone who is big in the real estate game, and you’ll see they have a whole team of lawyers to help them avoid liabilities and grow their business. Even if you don’t plan on becoming the next Steve Wynn or Donald Trump (or any of the dozens of real estate moguls who currently have more wealth but who are far less interesting on TV), you will need at least one competent lawyer to help you manage your business.
Remember that real estate is not just about the properties themselves, but it’s also a business. There are taxes to pay, forms to file, complaints to field, zoning laws to adhere to, rent restrictions, and a whole other number of concerns that you probably don’t want to have to keep track of. This is where a good real estate lawyer comes in.
And so, the answer to our initial question would be that a real estate lawyer helps you by helping your real estate business work.