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/Tentant 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 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 15^th 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 1^st.   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.

Although historically thought of as an Elder Law practice, Joseph J. Villano, Esq. understands that clients of all ages have assets to protect and need to have a contingency in place should the unfathomable happen.  First time homebuyers, parents with young children, business owners, and retirees all should create a plan to address health concerns, properly dispose of their possessions, and guide their loved ones in a stressful time.  Despite our planning services being narrowly tailored to our clients’ specific needs, typical services include

·       Preparation of Last Will and Testaments

·       Health Care Proxies

·       Living Wills

·       Powers of Attorney

·       Drafting of Intervivos / Medicaid Trusts

·       Establishing Life Estates

Although this practice area allows great flexibility, no one can anticipate the exact time the plans are needed.  Although it is never too early to get your affairs in order, often it is too late.  Many options, such as the formation of a Medicaid Trust, which preserve the greatest amount of your estate, need to be put in place five (5) years in advance of their needs.  Call today!

Everyone knows that accidents happen, but what happens afterwards?  Rely on Villano Law Firm, PLLC to guide you through the unknown and worry of this distressing time.  Whether the incident was your fault or not, prompt action is often the difference between a successful recovery or a defense verdict.  As the clock ticks, your rights slip away.  Find out how best to preserve them by calling today. 

Our services include:

·       No fee unless you recover (contingency) arrangements for injured claimants

·       Free initial phone and office consultations for litigation defense matters, with coordination of efforts with assigned insurance counsel

·       Assistance in obtaining no-fault, disability, and other available benefits

·       Personalized representation from claim investigation through settlement or verdict

Past Representative Litigated Matters Range From:

·       Motor Vehicle Accidents (including pedestrian and bicycle)

·       Slip/Trip and Falls

·       Dog bites

·       Products Liability

·       Assault/Battery

·       Wrongful Death

Opening and operating a business in the highly regulated State of New York is not for the faint of heart.  Formation of your business entity, drafting resolutions, shareholder/member agreements, addressing employee matters, debt financing and service matters, can all be confusing.  Company leadership should be focused on growing the enterprise and not on the minutiae of paperwork.  Leave the hassle to us while we leave the customer generation to you. 

Our business services include:

·       Formation of corporations, limited liability companies, and various partnerships

·       Handling publication requirements, obtaining tax payer ID numbers from the IRS, and drafting governance documents

·       Preparing employee handbooks and policies while addressing concerns arising therefrom

·       Providing legal representation in the purchase/sale of company goodwill, equipment, tangible personal property, and real estate

·       Minimizing transactional risk through UCC financing statement review, county clerk searches, and compliance with New York Tax & Finance Bulk Sales Act

·       Arranging for the issuance of title, general business liability, and other applicable insurances

·       Grieving Real Property Tax Assessments

·       Obtaining Liquor Licenses

·       Handling other general business legal affairs

Our services include:

• Traffic Ticket Representation
• Name Changes
• Pistol Permit Application Assistance
• Cease and Desist Letters
• Contract formation