Are you looking for a real estate lawyer in Fort Lauderdale, FL?
At Loshak Law PLLC, we are trusted real estate lawyers serving clients across Fort Lauderdale and the surrounding area.
If you are under contract or preparing an offer on property in Fort Lauderdale, the purchase agreement sets the terms that govern the rest of the transaction. Our Fort Lauderdale, FL real estate lawyer negotiates and reviews those terms, clears title and survey issues, and carries the transaction through closing and recording.
Loshak Law PLLC handles residential and commercial real estate matters for buyers, sellers, investors, and business owners. Our founder has practiced law for more than 13 years. Contact us to schedule a consultation.
Real Estate Lawyer Fort Lauderdale, FL
A real estate attorney represents a buyer, seller, landlord, tenant, or investor in the legal side of a property transaction. The work includes negotiating the purchase contract, examining title, preparing the deed and closing documents, and resolving disputes when a party does not perform. It begins before the contract is signed. It ends when the deed and mortgage are recorded.
The median value of an owner-occupied home in Fort Lauderdale was $486,700 for the 2020 to 2024 period, according to ACS housing estimates. Transactions at those values usually involve a lender, a title insurer, and a detailed purchase contract, and each one produces documents that bind the buyer and seller.
Types of Real Estate Cases We Handle in Fort Lauderdale
Real estate work in Fort Lauderdale covers single-family homes, condominium resales, commercial acquisitions, and investment property. Our real estate attorneys represent buyers, sellers, investors, and business owners in the matters below.
- Residential purchases and sales. We review and negotiate residential purchase contracts, including the FARBAR contract forms commonly used in Florida home sales. Our review covers inspection periods, financing contingencies, deposit terms, and each party’s obligations before closing.
- Real estate closings. We prepare and review the deed, settlement statement, and loan documents and coordinate with the lender and title agent on the closing date. Buyers receive guidance on the final walkthrough so the property’s condition can be compared against the contract before funds are released.
- Title insurance. We review the title commitment for liens, easements, and exceptions and satisfy the underwriter’s requirements before closing. Some defects trace back to an estate that was never administered, and probate title issues can keep a property from being insured until they are resolved.
- Commercial real estate. We represent buyers, sellers, landlords, and tenants in office, retail, industrial, and mixed-use transactions. Investors deferring gain on a sale can structure the purchase as a 1031 exchange, and we coordinate those closing documents with the qualified intermediary. The exchange must also satisfy the federal like-kind rules.
- Land use and zoning. The permitted use of a parcel determines whether a buyer can carry out its plans for the property. We confirm the zoning during the contingency period and handle rezoning or variance applications when the intended use requires one.
- Deeds and ownership transfers. We prepare warranty, special warranty, and quitclaim deeds for sales, gifts, and transfers between family members or entities. Owners planning for succession often ask about a lady bird deed as one option for passing property to heirs.
- Land trusts and title-holding entities. Some buyers take title through an LLC or a Florida land trust for privacy or estate planning reasons. We form the entity or trust, prepare the conveyance, and confirm that the lender will accept the ownership structure.
- Refinancing. Owners refinancing a home loan sign a new note and mortgage, and the prior loan must be paid off and released of record. We review the loan documents and payoff letters so that the old mortgage is satisfied after closing.
- Contract disputes and failed transactions. A transaction can fail when a party misses a deadline, refuses to close, or misstates the property’s condition. We evaluate breach of contract claims involving deposits, closing obligations, and seller disclosures and pursue the remedy the contract provides.
Why Choose Loshak Law PLLC as My Real Estate Lawyer in Fort Lauderdale, FL?
Attorney Review Before the Contract Is Signed
The terms that decide most transactions are fixed on the day the contract is signed: the inspection period, the financing deadline, the deposit, and the remedy if either party fails to close. We negotiate those terms at the start and keep the same file through title review, closing, and recording. One firm handles the matter from the offer to the recorded deed. Buyers, sellers, and out-of-state owners describe that experience in our client reviews, and we have handled residential and commercial closings throughout Broward County.
Brandon F. Loshak’s Transactional Background
Brandon F. Loshak is admitted in Florida and Texas and founded Loshak Law PLLC after practicing at one of the country’s largest law firms. His practice centers on real estate, business transactions, and land use. A finance degree and earlier work in oil, gas, and mineral acquisitions shape how he reads purchase terms and title. He earned his law degree at St. Thomas and is a member of the Broward County Bar Association. Peer reviewers at Martindale-Hubbell have given him an AV Preeminent rating, the directory’s highest mark for legal ability and ethics.
Understanding Real Estate Cases
Key Real Estate Documents and What They Do
A handful of documents control nearly every Fort Lauderdale real estate transaction. Each one has a different author and a different purpose.
- Purchase contract. Sets the price, deposit, deadlines, contingencies, and default remedies for both parties.
- Title commitment. The title insurer issues it before closing. It lists the requirements that must be met and the exceptions the policy will not cover.
- Survey. Shows boundaries, improvements, easements, and any encroachments.
- Deed. Transfers ownership, and the type of deed determines what warranties the seller gives.
- Closing Disclosure. Itemizes the loan terms, closing costs, credits, and payoffs in a financed purchase.
- Note and mortgage. The note is the borrower’s promise to repay, and the mortgage secures that promise with the property.
What Is The Real Estate Case Timeline?
The contract sets the closing date. A financed purchase generally needs more time than a cash sale because the lender must approve the loan and order an appraisal.
The first weeks are devoted to the buyer’s due diligence. Inspections take place, the deposit is placed in escrow, and the title commitment and survey are ordered. Objections to title or property condition must be raised within the deadlines the contract sets.
Loan approval follows. The lender issues its commitment and delivers the Closing Disclosure before the closing date, and we compare those figures to the contract.
At closing, the parties sign the deed, loan documents, and settlement statement, and funds are disbursed. In an attorney-handled closing, each document is reviewed against the contract before anyone signs. The deed and mortgage are then recorded with the county.
What Are Important Aspects of a Real Estate Case?
Contract deadlines govern most real estate outcomes. Once a deadline passes, the rights attached to it may no longer be available.
- Inspection, financing, and title periods: each runs on a fixed schedule, and the contract states what a party may do if a problem appears within that period.
- Deposit and escrow terms: the contract identifies who holds the deposit and when it becomes non-refundable.
- Disclosures and property condition: seller disclosures and inspection findings affect whether a buyer may renegotiate or cancel.
- Time limits on claims: under Florida’s statute of limitations, a lawsuit on a written contract generally must be filed within five years, and an action for specific performance within one year.
What Should You Bring to Your Real Estate Consultation?
The documents below let us assess your position in the transaction during the first meeting.
- The signed purchase contract and every addendum
- The title commitment, survey, and any prior owner’s title policy
- The Loan Estimate or other lender correspondence
- Condominium or homeowners’ association documents, if applicable
- Notices, emails, or demands exchanged with the other party
We review the contract deadlines at the consultation and identify which of them call for action first.
Broward County Official Records and Local Real Estate Resources
- Broward County Records: the Records, Taxes and Treasury Division records deeds, mortgages, and other instruments in the Official Records. Its free Recording Notification Service emails owners when a conveyance or encumbrance affecting their property is recorded.
- Official Records search: a public database of documents recorded in Broward County from January 1, 1978 to the present.
- Broward Clerk of Courts: maintains court records for civil cases, including contract and foreclosure disputes.
- 17th Judicial Circuit: the circuit court for Broward County, which hears civil disputes involving real property and contracts.
- City property records: the City of Fort Lauderdale Development Services Department provides permit and property records for parcels within city limits.
Reach Out to Loshak Law PLLC to Schedule a Consultation
Before you sign a purchase contract, or when a transaction does not close as planned, Loshak Law PLLC can review the documents and explain your options. We represent residential and commercial clients throughout Broward County. Contact us to schedule a consultation with our Fort Lauderdale real estate lawyer.
