Non Village associated closing attorney
 

Has anyone used a closing attorney in The Villages that wasn't part of The Villages "staff"? Any recommendations?

Since an attorney is not needed in Florida we did not use one. In fact we closed through the mail. They overnighted the paperwork to us, we signed and overnighted it back. Very simple process.

Hunt Law Firm
110 Cleveland Avenue
Wildwood, FL
352-748-5888

you're wasting your $$$ with a closing attorney in FL...they are not needed.

Yes it's different from where you came from, but that's the real deal.

So, no closing attorney, who holds the escrow? Who does the title transfer, etc?

You hire a title company to handle the transaction. One non-Villages company is Tri-County Title.

A Title Company or an Attorney -- Same Difference!
 

There usually isn't much of a difference, if any, between using an attorney or a title company.

There are certain fees that would be the same no matter what, such as title insurance, documentary stamps, and a few other things.
If using an attorney, it's wise to let him look at your contract before you sign, if that's a possibility for you.

If you are buying a new home you don’t have a choice

Tri County Title in complex where Billy’s Cafe and Marion Dental are located on 27/441 across from Lowes.

An attorney can help with contract issues that arise, but not necessary in FL. Tri-county title was just the closing agent and when challenges came up they blew it off and then removed terms from the final closing. I was not impressed. We did not use them a 2nd time. The prior owners wanted to stay in the house for a period which we had agreed to with a rental agreement and being covered as an additional insured by their insurance. When push came to shove they refused to adhere to the contract, we had to say then we will not close. The title company did not help with this situation at all. So if it is not a straight transaction if there are any extra things use an attorney.


Just search for it Best 30 Title Companies in The Villages, FL with Reviews - YP.com

Orange Title

Affiliated Title of Central Florida
5805 E CR 462
Wildwood, FL 34785
352-492-0564

My view, you are entitled to have an attorney at closing. The attorney
at closing represents the builder not you the buyer, As I recall the documents at closing were like 28 pages of legalize. Each page is followed by another page in which you sign that you UNDERSTAND the previous page. Truth, you are spending around half a million dollars.
I was told by the villages attorney staff. I do not think the person passing papers to you is an attorney. I was told when I said I was bringing my atty they got kind of huffy and I was told they allow 15 minutes per closing. I polity as I could told them my mother taught me you never sign anything you have not read and understand.

I asked for and received a copy of the document before closing.
We had a deal from my wife's previous job where we paid a nominal fee and she/we had free use of attorneys. Truth based on some previous experience I have a rather low opinion of attorneys as well as ONE experience with a great one. We had an attorney at the closing on our previous home and the closing at the villages that cost us nothing. Neither was at all impressive.

Aside, the documents you will be asked/told to sign are 28 pages or so of legalize. The house we sold that we bought like 40 years ago, I seem to recall it was like four pages.

My view. First of all I do not like attorneys having had several bad experiences with them.

For many buyers, buying a home is the most expensive deal you have ever been involved in. You are negotiating way out of your league. There you sit at closing. You and or your wife are already picturing yourselves in that home. Seems to be normal practice on a resale. The contract has been negotiated and you sit down to sign and one party then wants to change the deal. You need someone,
usually a paid for attorney who has not vested interest and is on your side. Some have mentioned they used the title company.
My view, they are not on your side, they are on the side of the title company AND PERHAPS MORE INTERESTED IT GETTING IT DONE SO THEY CAN GET OUT OF THERE.

My experience the buyer of our previous home. Truth I liked them.
Sadly I stupidly misjudged them to be honorable people. They said they wanted my office furniture, a clock industrial shelves down the basement, my work table. I STUPIDLY GAVE IT ALL TO THEM CHARGED THEM NOTHING. Could have, sold it all for about 1,000.

Closing my attorney allowed the closing to be not at her office which I believe, is customary to be at the sellers attorneys office. The same broker had sold the buyers home and ours to them. Not sure if that is either legal or ethical. Commissions on both sales. The broker was not at the closing-seems to me they should have been.

We arrived as scheduled. Everyone else was already there including
MY? attorney. She clearly let the far more powerful buyers attorney
run all over her. She didn't care just a pencil pusher. She GAVE AWAY LIKE 2,000 OF MY MONEY WITH OUT ASKING. In a room with all these attys, title companies AND MY WIFE CRYING AND SAYING IN FRONT OF ALL-JUST GIVE IT TO THEM. I had to grab their attention. I surely shocked the whole room. I said loud and clear I AM NOT DOING THIS. The buyers attorney suggested I step out with my attorney. ON EXITING THE DOOR SO ALL COULD HEAR
I SAID AGAIN-I AM NOT DOING THIS.

In any negotiation, someone needs to be in CONTROL. I was outnumbered my wife had already said aloud give it to them.
I do not much care what they thought of me. I SEIZED CONTROL.
AND IT SHOCKED THEIR ATTY AND MINE.

I think it is more important to have favorable logistics pre-arranged than to have legal representation at the closing. If you are the buyer and you have a moving truck ready to move you in the next day, you are not in a position to bargain during the closing. Or, if you are the seller, and you have emptied the house and are moving out of town the next day, you cannot afford for the closing to not occur. It is better to not have either of these situations. Also, as a buyer, I would never allow the seller to remain in the house, rent the house, or to leave items in the house after the closing. Just my opinion.