Moving is one of the most stressful parts of a person’s life. This is especially true when they are moving on a tight deadline – perhaps their rent just spiked, or their roommate is moving out, or they can’t afford the upkeep on a lavish home any more. All of these scenarios mean that you have to find a new place to live – and fast! Selling and purchasing new property comes with reams and reams of paperwork. If we lived in a perfect world, the community would rally around something in this frustrating and stressful situation. Your neighbours might chip in to scrub your kitchen down, or your brother might come over and clean the place up before a viewing. Unfortunately, in more cases than not, you’re dealing with the bulk of the work by yourself. When you’re juggling a million tasks, your mind begins to get frayed. Things slip by you. You’re no longer as sharp as you once were. This isn’t your fault – you’re dealing with a lot, and you’re working hard to get all caught up and finish this process. However, there are people who see that state and strive to take advantage of it. You need someone who can work to protect you from these issues and make sure the transaction goes well. That ‘someone’ is a real estate attorney. These experts have been trained to have a keen eye on your transaction and keep everything on the level. Here’s what you’re at risk for, and how a lawyer can prevent it.
The Little Costs That Add Up Over Time
Your brain is fried, you have to pack this and that and call the cable company to switch over, and on top of everything you have a social engagement on the weekend. You’re so stressed and concerned that when someone hands you the paperwork, you scan over the costs. Everything looks fine, so you go ahead and sign off and the money vanishes from your account. You may think that things cost a little more than you thought, but you’re just relieved to have everything over and done with. Then there’s another fee right before moving day, and another, and another… These little costs add up and become a major hit to your wallet. What’s happening? This is sometimes called the ‘sausage effect’. The term ‘sausage effect’ comes from a metaphor wherein a butcher has a plump sausage sitting in his kitchen. A hungry employee walks in and sees that no one is around, and so he saws a little piece off and eats it. The next hour, he’s hungry again and cuts off another piece. The butcher is going about his work, and he passes by the sausage a hundred times a day, but he doesn’t notice that it’s slowly getting smaller. Meanwhile, if the hungry employee were to eat the entire sausage in one bite, the butcher would notice and get angry. This metaphor aptly describes how you can get nickeled and dimed during a real estate transaction.
How Does a Real Estate Attorney Stop These Little Costs?
Some of these costs are absolutely legitimate. Others are not. Therein lies the rub – how does a layman know which costs are necessary and which transactions are meant to get a little extra money for the other party? It’s nearly impossible for a normal person with no training or education on the subject to be able to understand which costs make sense and serve a purpose and which costs need to be contested. People go through a similar situation every day when they visit a mechanic who cares more about money than fixing your car. You may see a whole litany of costs you don’t understand on your bill, backed up with some rhetoric. If a mechanic looks into your hood, shakes their head sadly, and says something like “I wouldn’t drive this another mile – you could get into a wreck!” and then hands you a bill with charges for coolant, transmission and power steering flushes, part replacements, double labour, and so on, many people just pay up out of a mix of fear and lack of curiosity. However, people are aware that mechanics have these tricks. People don’t expect this from a real estate deal, and so they are swayed. A real estate attorney stops these tricks in their tracks and explains to you what’s really going on. They’ve seen these things before, and they’re able to shut them down. They also have the presence of mind and levelheadedness that comes with expertise. You shouldn’t be expected to shut down scams and keep an eye out for fishy charges. Luckily, an attorney will handle this job for you. With an advocate at your side, you’re far less likely to get embroiled in a pile of mysterious money grabs.
Moving from one home to another is stressful, especially since moves are often precipitated by big events in your life. Perhaps you’ve found a new job that is far away from your current home, or you’ve retired or been laid off and need something more modest. Maybe you’ve had people move in or out and your current space isn’t properly accommodating and comfortable. Or possibly a large life event has happened that requires you to be somewhere else. Moving is an arduous process by itself, but the circumstances and context around it can complicate it even more. Many people who are moving are so stressed and tired that the other party takes advantage of their state. They use the ‘sausage effect’ to throw in little charges here and there that add up to a lot of money. You can fight this by having a real estate attorney on your side. These professionals examine the transactions and help you get to the finish line without dealing with undue costs. You can appreciate your new home and keep your bank account as full as possible with their help.
