You've heard all the lawyer jokes and so have I. 

In fact, let me let you in on a little secret:  There's only one lawyer joke.  All the rest are true stories.

There's a lot of law involved in a real estate transaction.  There's agency law, contract law, property law, tax law, condominium regulations, homeowner's association rules, escrow accounts, and more.  Some states like New York require attorneys to write the real estate purchase contract.  In Virginia & D.C., real estate agents fill in the blanks on a form contract provided by the local associations.

In the D.C. metropolitan area, I've heard it reported that approximately 1 in 4 adults holds a law degree, although not all practice law.  If you are an attorney looking to buy or sell a home, you may find it beneficial to work with a REALTOR who speaks your language.

Introducing THE REALTOR FOR ATTORNEYS:

Brian Block, Esq., REALTOR / Attorney

Here's some background about why you should consider trusting your real estate needs to me.

I graduated from highly-ranked George Mason Law School in 1998.  For 2 years, I practiced banking litigation at a medium-sized law firm in D.C. representing major banks suing the U.S. government in the aftermath of the 1980s S&L crisis.  Following that, I worked a year in securities law advising on private placements and public offerings as well as some general practice.

After a short time handling legal matters on my own for private clients, I entered real estate in early 2002.  Reaching out to area attorneys to help them with their real estate needs, I shortly became "Of Counsel" with a real estate litigation firm in Old Town Alexandria.  For 3 years while I built my real estate sales business, at the law firm, I learned the real estate business ins and outs from the legal perspective.  

Learn about The Difference Between Realtors & Lawyers

I learned what can go wrong with a real estate transaction. 

95-97% of real estate deals go smoothly.  Everyone shakes hands at the settlement table.  Sellers get their money.  Buyers get the keys to the new house.  Everybody is happy.

These were not the people who showed up at our law firm.  The people who walk in the door at a real estate litigation firm are those 3-5% that have big problems.  Lots of money at stake.  Nobody's happy.  I've seen deceit, fraud, trickery, and big bucks litigation.  These are deals that went really wrong.  I've been to settlements where the parties did not want to see each other let alone sit at the same settlement table.  I've seen defaults, judgments, and class action lawsuits.

As a REALTOR, I incorporate my knowledge and experience of the law to best serve my clients.  While I'm not representing my clients as an attorney nor practicing law, I bring those skills to the table.  My job is to ease the anxieties and prevent those 3-5% of transactions from going awry.

Thus, as a result, many of my clients do end up being attorneys themselves.  There seems to be a comfort level. 

I can speak legalese. 

I've even had the stereotypical 20 minute discussion with attorney clients over comma placement. 

I understand contracts. 

I understand property. 

I can negotiate.  

Here's a little chart to help you make a wise decision:

As an attorney, you need to concentrate on your billable hours.  Why not leave the stress of the homebuying or home selling process to a REALTOR / Attorney that you can trust?

Contact Brian Block, Esq. today!