Do I need a real estate attorney to sell my house in New York?
Written and reviewed by Andrew Ragusa, Licensed Real Estate Broker and Broker of Record, REMI Realty LLC — 11+ years of transactions across Long Island, Brooklyn and Queens.
The short answer
A buyer or seller is not generally required by law to hire a real estate attorney in New York, but in actual practice, almost everyone does. Whether you are buying or selling, the other party will more than likely have their own attorney. It only makes sense to have someone representing and protecting your interests as well.
In more than 11 years in real estate, I have never seen a buyer or seller represent themselves in a transaction. Unless you are an attorney who understands New York real estate transactions, I think trying to handle it yourself would be foolish.
I have also built relationships with excellent real estate attorneys who are responsive, accessible and focused on strong client communication. If you need an attorney, I am happy to make introductions based on my direct experience working with them.