Want to buy or sell property? About to close on a home in Harrisburg? Pennsylvania real estate transaction lawyer Tom McGlaughlin of North Star Legal Services LLC will make the process cheaper and more effective than any Realtor.
Buying a house is always a big deal, and selling one is no less significant. And the same can often be doubly true for commercial real estate, which can make or break your business. You do not want to leave anything up to chance, understandably, and avoiding risk can be just as important as seizing a good opportunity.
This is no doubt why most Harrisburg real estate buyers and sellers alike choose to work with or through a real estate agent. These realtors connect buyers to sellers and handle a lot of the minutiae and bureaucracy, while also reviewing the property and its condition, but take a sizeable cut off the top. Usually, they charge a fixed percentage of the real estate transaction’s value, which can sometimes be as high as ten percent or more!
Given the price of homes and property nowadays, that's a lot of money. Especially since to comply with Pennsylvania law, you also need to get a real estate attorney to go over the legal aspects of the transaction, like title verification. But what if you did not have to get both, because you found a local attorney with extensive real estate experience who can also do everything a realtor can, for a fraction of their price?
Prices in Harrisburg have been volatile over the years, but with recent investments and the success of downtown businesses, prices tend to be on the rise both in the heart of Harrisburg and its calmer suburbs. This can make it a promising spot for investors or a difficult one for buyers. As a result, many will naturally turn to real estate agents to handle the search and transaction process.
This is an understandable instinct, but a costly one. Real estate agents take a cut of the final sale, eating into a seller’s profits and a buyer's budget. As a result, their main priority is making a sale at as high a value as possible, so their incentives might be against your interests.
Worse still, Harrisburg has consistently been plagued with corruption and scandals, some of which have touched on the real estate sector, using changing zoning rules, city codes, and more, to profit corrupt officials or big investors at the cost of everyday business and property owners.
As a result, it is important to get an advocate on your side who has no perverse incentives and will protect your rights and interests throughout the process, while steering you well clear of any murky legal waters and risks.
Having worked for decades in the real estate sector, as a private consultant, general counsel, negotiator, and, of course, lawyer, attorney Tom McGlaughlin knows the industry and its local rules and regulations inside and out. He has built his legal practice around making sure families and individuals get access to the legal services they need to buy, sell, and invest in real estate safely.
Given the breadth of his experience, Tom McGlaughlin is more than capable of serving both as a realtor, helping you find, assess, and inspect property, and as the transaction lawyer you need to finalize any purchase, sale or contract.
From Title searches to verify there are no legal liens and other threats to the property’s integrity, to loan and purchase agreement drafting to interpreting the fine print on sale clauses, he offers those invaluable services no realtor can legally provide, often for less than a Harrisburg real estate agent would have cost you.
Unlike a real estate agent who will take a cut of your ultimate transaction total, Tom McGlaughlin charges a flat fee like any lawyer would, meaning he has no incentive connected to the price of the purchase or sale. It also means that on many, if not most, closing transactions, his legal services will end up costing you substantially less than a real estate agent would, despite getting you more.
Closing on the purchase or sale of property is not the only time you may need to call on a real estate lawyer, either. If you need to to interact with zoning rules, HOA regulations or disputes, make changes to your deed, get an inspection or appraisal, are worried about easements or trying to set up a subdivision project, or require any other official assistance with your property, Tom McGlaughlin can either help directly, or put you in touch with someone who can.
Because of his decades of work in the real estate industry, he knows everyone from inspectors to contractors and can help you find trustworthy partners even if he cannot assist directly with the matter you need.
North Star Legal Services, LLC | Harrisburg Real Estate Transactions Done Right
If you are hoping to purchase or sell property in or near Harrisburg, you could call a real estate agent, but you will eventually need to call a lawyer or law firm to handle your closing needs. Or you could save yourself money, time, and stress by working directly with a real estate attorney like Tom McGlaughlin of North Star Legal Services LLC.
Tom McGlaughlin will take the time to make sure you understand the process and transaction, so that you are not taken advantage of or cheated by an unforgiving system on this most important sale or purchase.
To set up a consultation with a real estate law firm that cares, just call (717) 990-7178 or reach out to our team online. We look forward to helping you take this big step forward with confidence and security.
The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship.
