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Our firm also operates an independent title company that is an authorized agent for Fidelity National Title Insurance.  Conveniently located in downtown Bethlehem, PA, our firm can handle residential and commercial real estate transactions from start to finish.   We have over 75 years of experience in handling real estate closings and title insurance.   

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Our firm provides full-service legal representation for buyers and sellers in the Lehigh Valley, including Northampton, Lehigh, Bucks, Carbon, Monroe and the surrounding counties of Eastern Pennsylvania. We can assist in every aspect of the transaction, including:

• Negotiation of the purchase price and closing costs

• Preparing or reviewing the purchase agreement

• Providing or reviewing seller's required disclosures

• Title search and title insurance

• Real estate closing​​

 

Our firm has closed thousands of residential and commercial transactions, including single-family homes, commercial properties, warehouses, investment properties, townhomes, condominiums, mortgage and loan refinancing transactions, and for sale by owner transactions.

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Right To Choose Your Title Company

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Many real estate agents will try to steer you to a title company with whom they or their broker have a business interest and receive a financial benefit.  In Pennsylvania, Buyers have the right to choose for themselves a title company that will serve them and protects their interests.   As attorneys, we will work for you to protect your rights by reviewing your agreement of sale and related documents and answering questions you may have regarding your transaction. 

 

Advantages To Using An Attorney Versus A Title Company

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1. A title company works for the title insurer, not the buyer or the seller, whereas real estate attorneys work for whoever hires them. Once hired, an attorney represents that client throughout the transaction – in addition to overseeing the transaction to completion, they look out for their client's best interest and advocate for their client. The title company’s role is to prepare the basic closing documents required by the title insurer to complete the transaction and issue the title insurance policy.

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2. Title agents do not have law degrees and cannot provide legal advice. When there are problems or questions, the buyer/seller can’t turn to the title company for help or advice. One of the most common issues that come up is how to take title to the property, which has legal and tax ramifications. A title agent cannot provide advice in this situation, but an attorney can. Realtors as well as the buyer/seller, benefit from working with attorneys since the attorney can review the contract and answer legal questions during the contract negotiation process; title companies cannot. 

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3. Title agents cannot create contract addenda, address problems in the sales contract, deal with non-standard forms, or correct legal issues that affect the title. This is important because if an issue arises, corrective documents may need to be obtained or created. Attorneys can provide legal advice on the best way to handle the issue, as well as prepare necessary documents, title agents cannot. Depending on the issue, a title agent will in fact have to send parties out to hire an attorney (at their own expense) to handle specific problems. Not having an attorney can delay the closing or even cause the transaction to fall apart entirely.

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4. The costs of hiring a title company vs. an attorney are comparable. Many closing costs such as title insurance premiums, transfer taxes, and recording costs are set by law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. They are the same whether an attorney or a title agent is facilitating the process. In some cases, using an attorney can actually save the parties money by performing double duty as an attorney and a title agent; a title agent cannot do the same.

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