Real Estate Law
- Buying/Selling Residential, Commercial and Industrial Real Estate
Buying and Selling real property are the greatest and most stressful transactions of most people’s lives. Although many pitfalls exist, with skilled guidance, most can be avoided, and with constant communication through the process, you can feel confident that your transaction is receiving the personalized attention that it deserves.
The selection of a competent and responsive transactional attorney is an important step in your purchase or sale, as they will need to perform several critical tasks with strict deadlines to steer the deal to the closing table, such as:
- Preparation, negotiation and review of the purchase contract
- Issuance of an attorney approval letter fine tuning the transaction to your specific needs
- Selection of mortgage providers, home inspectors, title companies, and other professionals to serve you
- Addressing any found structural or other hazardous conditions through a negotiated process
- Shepherding the transaction through the mortgage process
- Resolving title defects
- Preparing deeds, statements of sale, title affidavits, and other closing documents
- Closing attendance and representation; including explanation of lending documents
Many firms utilize paralegals and closing coordinators whom manage the transaction through closing. In these practices, only at the table do you finally meet and speak with the attorney representing you. As a solo practitioner, Joseph J. Villano, Esq. handles every aspect of the deal from contract through closing. Every call and correspondence, is personally responded to within 24 hours, but often within the hour, allowing you to be fully informed throughout the process.
- Landlord/Tenant Matters, Lease Drafting & Evictions
The Capital Region offers an ideal environment for real property investors seeking to purchase and lease out apartments to its permanent residents and vast cohort of college aged students. Too often, landlords underestimate the value of having a strongly worded lease to tackle the many contingencies that arise after keys pass hands. Non-payment of rent, failure to maintain tenant’s insurance, animals being kept without permission, disorderly conduct, abuse of fixtures, intentional damage, and abandonment all occur despite the best efforts of landlords in selecting their tenants.
Could your issues have be prevented with a quick background or credit check? Often yes! Must your pre-rental due diligence be an expensive or laborious. Usually not! Call to find out your rights and to make your rental business thrive.
Even the most methodical landlord can find him or herself in the unfortunate need of eviction counsel. Having a knowledgeable attorney in your corner to promptly prepare, serve and prosecute eviction pleadings, for an all-inclusive flat rate through the issuance of an eviction warrant, will limit your expenses, shorten your wait for justice, and speed your return to profitability. Furthermore, post-judgment collection services are available, for an additional fee, when appropriate and requested by the landlord.
As an occasionally frustrated landlord himself, to minimize conflicts, and enhance client service, Joseph J. Villano, Esq. does not offer representation to tenants.
- Assessment Grievance / Tax Certiorari
Real property taxation is the mechanism which funds the critical services provided by our municipalities and school districts. Although a necessary evil, property owners often find themselves paying a disproportionate share of the government’s expense, due to an excessive or unequal assessed value. Find out if you’re overpaying today and start the savings now.
Interested individuals should make initial contact no later than February 15th of any given year in which a reduction is sought. This time allows for an adequate informal review with the assessor prior to his/her filing of the preliminary roll on May 1st. Free initial review, and fixed fees are available for primary residences. Residential rentals, commercial and industrial grievance representation is available on hourly or contingent (no fee unless your tax burden is reduced) terms depending on the subject parcel.