My mom has been widowed for three years now and she is finally ready to sell off some of the property that she and my dad owned. It is acres of land that my dad was trying to develope and sell off as lots to build homes on, roads were built, electricity was put in, water the whole works. Dad didn't live to see the project completed so that Mom and Dad would have a comfortable future, now before anymore time lapses she wants to sell it before the work that my dad did is ruined. She has had three realtors come and look and doesn't know which one to go with. So I am wondering if anyone knows how to check on a realtor. She lives in Pa. Thanks in advance!!!

By Mom2three1968 on Friday, July 20, 2007 - 08:58 pm:

bump

By Ginny~moderator on Saturday, July 21, 2007 - 12:22 am:

If it were me, I'd have a lawyer I trust look over the agreement with the real estate agent and check the agent's AND the agency's licensing. I would also have a time-limit in the contract - whatever the lawyer thinks is appropriate - that is, that the contract is only for X period of time and after that, your mom is free to end the contract and select a different agent to work with. Other than that, I think it is often "word of mouth", learning what other people's experience has been with a particular agent, that counts the most. But definitely, with that much property involved, you want a lawyer checking to make sure that everything is in order not only in the contract with the real estate agent, but also with every document along the way. If your mom has a lawyer for your dad's estate, she should ask that a lawyer specializing in real estate be brought in. Yes, it means attorney fees, but in the long run that is the best way for mom's interests to be protected.

So often, in rural communities, there is a kind of 'good old boy' network going, where a small group of people pretty much 'manage' large property deals, and the property owner can get burned. That's why a good lawyer - maybe even a lawyer who is based in a different community, even a different county - who is less likely to be part of that network can see that your mom's interests are really represented. If you tell me what county your Mom lives in, I can probably get the names of a couple of attorneys who can recommend a good attorney specializing in real estate and estate law. Those are both specialties that, when large properties are involved, require someone with experience in that area of law, not just a general practitioner or personal injury lawyer.