Trusted legal counsel for New York real estate transactions.

Yes, in practice. New York is an attorney state: the contract of sale is drafted and negotiated by counsel, and closings are conducted by attorneys rather than title or escrow agents. Buyer and seller are each separately represented, and no institutional lender will fund without attorney involvement. In a condominium or cooperative purchase, counsel also reviews the offering plan, proprietary lease, house rules, financial statements and board minutes — documents a broker is not permitted to interpret for you.

Closing is the meeting where ownership transfers. Loan documents are signed, the lender funds, adjustments for taxes, common charges or maintenance are settled, transfer tax returns are executed, and the deed is delivered — or, for a co-op, the stock certificate and proprietary lease are assigned. Keys are handed over at the table. Sarah reconciles the closing statement in advance so there are no surprise figures, and attends closing with you, in person or by remote signing where permitted.

Most residential purchases, sales and refinancings are handled for a flat legal fee quoted in writing before you engage the firm, so the cost does not grow if the deal becomes complicated. Commercial matters, portfolio transactions and new-development work are quoted after an initial review of scope. Legal fees are separate from third-party closing costs — title insurance, transfer and mansion taxes, mortgage recording tax, and lender and managing-agent fees — and Sarah provides an itemized estimate of all of them at the consultation.

A financed condominium purchase in Manhattan typically closes 60 to 90 days after contract signing. Cooperative purchases depend on the board's package review and interview schedule, which can add two to six weeks. All-cash transactions can close in 30 days when title is clean. New-development closings run on the sponsor's timetable and can be longer. Sarah gives you a calendared timeline at the start and updates it whenever a date moves.

Yes. The firm regularly represents individual investors, family partnerships, LLCs and small funds acquiring multifamily buildings, mixed-use property, retail condominium units and investor-friendly co-ops. That work includes entity formation coordination with your accountant, rent-roll and lease diligence, estoppel and SNDA review, Section 1031 exchange coordination with a qualified intermediary, and financing documents.

Often, and gladly. First-time buyers receive the same flat fee and the same attention as a $20M purchaser, plus more explanation: what a rider changes, why a co-op board can decline without stating a reason, what your deposit is exposed to, and what every line of the closing statement means. No question is too basic.