DUMP my RE lawyer?

OP here

Lots of suggestions; some not so savvy while others were spot on.

9:44 is way off on this one and being SMUG at the very least.(probably a disgruntled lawyer or RE agent) As to inspection ABsolutley you should have it done: ANYTHING worth paying a few hundred thousand for is worth spending a few hundred on, to make sure its worth spending a few thousand on. WHY do I expect my lawyer to be proactive; well thats what Im paying him for. Having never purchased a house before I know nothing and the lawyer should treat me as such; his suggestions and questioning of everything is invaluable. That said $1000 is not that far off considering the size and lacking complexity of the deal.(I have seen many posts on Brownstoner saying $1000+ is average) If I go to a doctor I should not be expected to know anything about anything..whats the difference?

10:25 AM you dont know what I am, so your implications(sexist and/or racist) as to my character and reasoning for this request is simple stupidity and only shows ignorance on your part. I'm a female(mixed) at that and in fact only requested another female lawyer because all the male lawyers I spoke to were condescending and arrogant; I assume because I look young and I'am a female. But that said this says nothing of all male lawyers; and Im sure the majority are gentlemen in their own right; but I have not had such luck.

In any case thanks to all you other posters(mostly anonymous) for your suggestions. Most of you were spot on and I appreciate the reaffirmation.

I had the place inspected today great guy(http://www.thehousedetectiveny.com)..Turns out there are a few major issues(fixable) ad this will definitely lower the offered price by a little. Best money spent and it was $300.

Now I have to deal with this lawyer and see what I owe him at this point(if anything?). Met with him today for 15 minutes, while I pointed out all the issues he offered his opinion. In the end I got the impression he never read anyhgin once(no independent suggestions) and his great advice in the end "If you feel funny just back out". Uhhh I could have gotten that from a friend. I wanted sound honest experienced advice based on his experiences; not Dionne Warwick.

Thanks all

Posted by: OP Here at July 20, 2007 7:48 PM

OP here

Just what I figured..You are or worked with lawyers to some degree...hence how you find it so easy to defend their laziness and criticize my questioning of their inability.

I thought counselors were supposed to be un-opinionated and give straight forward clinical/legal advice..based on the facts and not simply what the counselor thought they knew was best for them...

That said, you were being smug and knew so before you even posted hence the prefacing of your statement with "uh, not trying to put you down, but"...yet you still managed to come off as though "I should already know this because you “think” you do"? and furthermore what you speak of is Factual and not opinion.

I defy you to ask the question of whether inspection of a condo or coop is necessary or not on a new post…See what your answers will be.

Sounds like you may have given some bad advice to those coming to you for "tenants" advice of any kind. I could only wonder what your motivations were to not advise anyone to spend such a small amount of money on anything of such significance(like an inspection) without making sure that pricey purchase of a property was first up to par.

Your doctor analogy is, well, incorrect.."when you see a doctor, do you just sit there, or do you tell him/her where it hurts?"..this is the same as going to a lawyer when your being sued and you tell the lawyer I’m being sued, and they help you. Not my scenario in the least.

However none of this is the same as going to a lawyer with a load of paperwork(minutes, contract, bylaws etc.) and legal materials and then the lawyer expects YOU to read through it all, understand it all, then and only then to ask him what does it all mean? An appropriate Doctor analogy would be; going to a doctor for a routine checkup and having to TELL the doctor that he should take blood, run labs, cardiograms and other tests; to only the have the Doctor give you the very cryptic results, expecting you to ask questions later, while offering nothing on his own.

I don’t expect lawyers or doctors for that matter to be "psychic" but I do expect them to be proactive and utilize their expertise, while they actually read, analyze and even attempt to understand why I have come for their expert opinion. Otherwise what’s the point of hiring a professional?

Your basic premise seems to be that I should be the one asking all appropriate questions other-wise I’m out of luck. Is this how you and other half-assed professionals have come to justify there haphazard, half-hearted and mediocre approach to there so called professional ways; if the customer doesn’t ask then I(the professional) am not responsible.

It’s a hell of thing for you to say “if you've been treating your lawyer like this, it's no wonder he/she wasn't doing a great job for you”…Justification in motion.

If I pay for a service should I not be the one on the receiving end of such services. At what point do or must I get involved further to ensure that service is done in its entirety. This is the problem with the likes of you, too many contractors, lawyers, RE agents, inspectors, builders and architects. You take this approach of not being responsible if the customer doesn’t speak up or watch you like a hawk. This is why sites like Brownstoner exist, because too many of the above-mentioned DO NOT value the customer but only seek to get what they can($) any way they can, all the while looking for a way out(excuses)…holding themselves not responsible for their own actions or better yet inactions.

If everyone would just do there job as they promised we would not be having this conversation and dozens like it on the Brownstoner(sorry Brownstoner)

Posted by: OP here at July 22, 2007 8:18 PM