Are you looking for a real estate closing lawyer in Fort Lauderdale, FL?
At Loshak Law PLLC, we are trusted real estate closing lawyers serving clients across Fort Lauderdale for over 13 years.
If you are closing on a Fort Lauderdale property, the documents you sign should match the contract you negotiated. Our Fort Lauderdale, FL real estate closing lawyer reads each document against that contract, clears the title requirements, and holds the closing funds.
Loshak Law PLLC closes residential, waterfront, and commercial transactions for buyers, sellers, and borrowers. We issue title insurance as an authorized agent, so one file covers the contract, the title, and the money. Contact us to schedule a consultation.
Real Estate Closing Lawyer Fort Lauderdale, FL
A real estate closing attorney handles the last stage of a purchase, sale, or refinance. The attorney orders the title search and reviews the commitment and survey. The attorney also collects payoffs and lien searches, prepares the settlement statement, and sends the deed for recording. An attorney closing includes one more step. A lawyer compares the closing documents to the purchase contract before anyone signs.
Fort Lauderdale has 165 miles of navigable waterways, according to the city marine facilities division. A closing on a waterfront home therefore covers more than title and payoffs. The dock, the boat lift, the seawall, and the permits behind each one all belong in the review. Fort Lauderdale closings also draw in condominium associations, code liens, and lender conditions, each with its own paperwork.
Types of Real Estate Closing Cases We Handle in Fort Lauderdale
Closings in Fort Lauderdale include downtown condominiums, single-family homes, waterfront properties with private dockage, and investment purchases. Our real estate closing attorneys handle the following transactions.
- Residential purchase closings. We represent buyers from contract through recording and confirm that credits, repairs, and prorations appear correctly on the settlement statement. A review before you buy catches contract terms that become expensive later. Buyers receive a preliminary settlement statement before closing day.
- Waterfront and dock closings. A waterfront purchase raises questions about the seawall’s condition, the dock’s permits, and how far the structure extends into the waterway. We confirm the permits exist and that the seller’s improvements match what the city and state authorized. Unpermitted dock work can delay funding until the seller resolves it.
- Cash and entity purchases. A cash closing has no lender to catch problems, so the buyer’s own review is the only safeguard. We check title, liens, and permits, and we prepare the entity documents when a buyer is forming an LLC to hold the property.
- New construction purchases. Builder contracts favor the builder and often limit deposits, delays, and warranty claims. We review those terms before signing and confirm the certificate of occupancy and permit closeouts before funding. Builder addenda often shift closing costs to the buyer.
- Refinance closings. A refinance replaces the old loan with a new one. We review the note, mortgage, and closing disclosure, confirm the payoff figures, and verify that the prior lender records its satisfaction.
- Closings with open permits or liens. Unresolved permits and municipal liens stop a closing or reduce the seller’s proceeds. We obtain the city lien search early and negotiate who resolves each item.
- Investor purchases. Investors closing several properties need consistent documents and predictable timing. We handle repeat closings for the same buyer and coordinate lender requirements across the group. We also prepare entity deeds and coordinate exchange timing when one sale funds the next purchase.
- Title insurance. We search title, clear the underwriter’s requirements, and issue the owner’s and lender’s policies after recording.
- Commercial real estate. Commercial closings add tenant estoppels, lease assignments, and entity authority documents to the file.
- Land use and zoning. We confirm the zoning permits the buyer’s intended use before the closing date, not after.
Why Choose Loshak Law PLLC as My Real Estate Closing Lawyer in Fort Lauderdale, FL?
We Check Every Document Against Your Contract
A title company prepares documents. An attorney reads them against your contract. We compare the settlement statement to the agreed price, deposits, credits, and repair allowances, and we raise any difference before funds move. When the parties disagree about a repair, a credit, or a late delivery, we apply what the contract says. Neither side has to renegotiate on closing day. That is the practical difference between a closing service and a real estate lawyer in Fort Lauderdale, FL handling your file. Working with an attorney also means the person answering your questions can advise you on the contract itself. We have closed residential, waterfront, and commercial transactions throughout Broward County.
Closings Overseen by a Transactional Attorney
Brandon F. Loshak founded Loshak Law PLLC after practicing at one of the country’s largest law firms. His work covers real estate, business transactions, and land use, which is the same mix a complicated closing draws on. Mr. Loshak is admitted in Florida and Texas and holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell. He also studied finance at the University of Colorado at Boulder before earning his J.D. at St. Thomas University School of Law. Mr. Loshak advises national and international companies on transactions as well.
Understanding Real Estate Closing Cases
What the Closing Attorney Reviews Before Funding
Each item below gets compared against the purchase contract, not just checked off a list.
- The contract and every addendum, including inspection and financing deadlines.
- The title commitment, with its requirements and its exceptions.
- A current survey showing encroachments, easements, and, on waterfront property, the dock and seawall.
- Payoff letters for every mortgage, judgment, and lien.
- The municipal lien search for code enforcement, utility, and special assessment charges.
- The association estoppel for a condominium or homeowners’ association property.
- The lender’s loan package and the Closing Disclosure, for a financed purchase.
What Are Important Aspects of a Real Estate Closing Case?
- Deadlines drive the file. Inspection, financing, and title objection periods end on fixed dates, and missing one can cost a buyer the deposit.
- Repairs belong in writing. A verbal promise to fix the roof before closing does not bind the seller. We put agreed repairs and credits into an addendum.
- Permits follow the property. An open or expired permit stays with the parcel after the sale, and the new owner inherits the problem.
- Waterfront adds parties. Dock and seawall work can involve the city, the county, and the state, so we start those confirmations early.
- Prorations must be right. We split taxes, association dues, and rents as of the closing date, and an error there follows the parties afterward.
- Funds move once. We verify wiring instructions by phone using numbers we obtain independently, and we tell clients to call before sending anything.
What Should You Bring to Your Real Estate Closing Consultation?
These documents let us open the file and order title the same week.
- The signed contract and every addendum
- Your lender’s contact information or loan estimate
- The association’s management contact, for condominium or HOA property
- Prior survey, title policy, or permit records, if you have them
- Photos or inspection reports covering the dock, seawall, or repairs at issue
We give you the closing timeline and the items we need from you first.
What Is The Real Estate Closing Case Timeline?
The contract sets the closing date, and we work backward from it. In the first days we open the file, order the title search and the municipal lien search, and request the association estoppel.
Next comes the title commitment. We review its requirements, order payoffs, and send any title objections within the contract’s deadline. For a financed purchase, the lender orders the appraisal and issues its Closing Disclosure. A cash purchase can close sooner, though the lien and permit checks still take the same time.
In the final week we prepare the settlement statement and compare it to the contract. At closing the parties sign, we disburse the funds, and the deed and mortgage go to the county for recording. Final title policies issue afterward, and we report the sale on the required IRS reporting form.
Fort Lauderdale Waterfront and Permit Resources
- Seawall permit checklist: The city’s building division lists what a seawall or dock permit application must include, including county or state approvals and sealed plans.
- Seawall requirements: The city answers common questions about seawall citations, owner responsibility, and corrective action.
- State dock permits: Florida’s environmental resource permitting program covers docks, piers, boat ramps, and shoreline work, including a self-certification path for single-family docks.
Reach Out to Loshak Law PLLC to Schedule a Consultation
Send us the contract as soon as both sides sign, and earlier if you want the terms reviewed first. We open the file, order title, and give you the dates that matter. Loshak Law PLLC represents buyers, sellers, and borrowers on residential, waterfront, and commercial closings throughout Broward County. Contact us to schedule a consultation with our Fort Lauderdale real estate closing lawyer.
