REAL ESTATE LAWYER MAGIC

You know how a buyer or seller suddenly includes their lawyer in a real estate transaction, and what used to be a straightforward closing suddenly becomes a hostage situation?

To be clear, I generally welcome lawyers.

Good lawyers help. They see risks we may miss. And yes, they usually know more about the law than brokers do.

But every now and then, you encounter the other kind. The kind who does not just make the transaction difficult...but impossible.

I have seen a lawyer demand that his clauses be added/removed from a developer's standard contracts.

I have also seen a lawyer ask that the HOA’s deed restrictions be removed from the title.

At that point, you are trying to rewrite reality.