In my region, we use attorneys on 99.5% of our transactions. Okay, that's probably not fair... we really use attorneys on 100% of our transactions. In fact, in my career, which spans decades, I have never once had a transaction that didn't involve an attorney.
But I digress.
When I have a contract, I usually give the buyer or seller a list of real estate attorneys to contact. I'll give them three or four names. I suggest they call each of them, and have a brief interview. Get the attorneys talking about the process, about themselves. Ask them about their availability, about what they charge. And once you've decided on one, let me know, and I'll send them a copy of the contract.
The client's decision often comes down to 1) who calls them back first, or 2) which attorney charges the least.
None of the names I give to my clients would be a bad choice. I certainly don't give out the names of attorneys who aren't competent, and don't do an excellent job. So, I guess that either of those methods are fine. But in our area, the attorneys generally charge around $450-$750 for the entire transaction (no hourly fee, no fee per call... merely a flat transaction fee)... of the professionals involved in the transaction... and I'm including the inspector, Realtor, loan officer... the attorney is probably making the least amount of money in the entire transaction. And their contribution is invaluable.
Oh, well. At least they made a decision... right?
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