A Michigan Real Estate Attorney Who Reviews Every Document Before You Sign
Buying or selling a home is the largest financial transaction most people ever complete — and Michigan law does not require anyone at the closing table to be looking out for your interests specifically. We review your purchase agreement, seller disclosure statement, title insurance commitment, and closing documents so you understand exactly what you are signing and what it means for you.
What a Residential Real Estate Attorney Does That No One Else at the Table Does
Every residential closing involves a title company, often a real estate agent, and sometimes a lender. Each of those parties has a defined role — and none of it includes giving you independent legal advice. The title company closes the transaction and issues the title commitment; it does not advise you on whether the terms of the purchase agreement are favorable, whether a disclosure item warrants renegotiation, or what a warranty deed actually conveys. We do.
Our role in a residential transaction is to be the one professional at the table whose job is to represent your interests — not the deal, not the commission, not the lender's timeline. We review the documents before you sign them, explain what they mean in plain language, identify issues worth pushing back on, and make sure the transaction closes the way you intended it to.
Why Michigan Buyers and Sellers Benefit from Independent Legal Review
Michigan does not require an attorney to close a residential real estate transaction. Title companies handle the mechanics of closing every day without one. That does not mean legal review adds nothing — it means the system was not designed to provide it automatically.
The issues that benefit most from an attorney's eye are the ones that appear routine until they are not: a disclosure item that turns out to be material, a contingency deadline that has already lapsed, a title exception that limits how the property can be used, or closing figures that do not match what was agreed. These are not rare edge cases. They are the ordinary friction points of residential transactions, and they are easier to address before closing than after.
Serving Rochester Hills, Oakland County, and Southeastern Michigan
We work with residential buyers and sellers throughout Oakland County and Southeastern Michigan, with a primary office in Rochester Hills. If you are buying or selling in Rochester Hills, Rochester, Royal Oak, Auburn Hills, or the surrounding communities, we can provide document review, purchase agreement counsel, and closing support on a timeline that works with your transaction.
For straightforward document review engagements, we offer flat-fee arrangements so you know the cost before the work begins — no open-ended billing on a transaction that already has enough moving parts.
Real Estate Law Support
What We Handle for Residential Buyers and Sellers in Michigan
Whether you are purchasing your first home, selling a property you have owned for decades, or navigating a transaction that has grown more complicated than expected, our residential real estate work covers the full document lifecycle of a Michigan closing.
Purchase Agreement Review and Negotiation
The purchase agreement is the most consequential document in any residential transaction. It sets the price, the contingencies, the inspection terms, the closing timeline, and the allocation of costs between buyer and seller. Once both parties sign, your options narrow considerably. We review purchase agreements before execution, identify terms that are unfavorable or ambiguous, and advise on negotiation points worth raising — including inspection contingency language, financing contingency deadlines, and what happens if the appraisal comes in short.
Seller Disclosure Statement Compliance
Michigan law requires residential sellers to complete a Seller Disclosure Statement covering the condition of the property across dozens of categories. Incomplete or inaccurate disclosures can expose a seller to post-closing claims. We help sellers understand what the statute requires, what must be disclosed even if the seller believes it is minor, and how to document disclosures properly so the record is clear at closing and after.
Title Insurance Commitment and Title Review
Before closing, the title company issues a title insurance commitment listing the conditions that must be satisfied before a policy will be issued. Most buyers sign off on this document without reading it. We review the commitment, explain what the exceptions mean, identify any title defects or encumbrances that need to be resolved before closing, and confirm that the warranty deed being delivered actually conveys what the purchase agreement promised.
Closing Document Review
The closing package in a Michigan residential transaction can run to dozens of pages. For buyers financing the purchase, the lender's closing disclosure, promissory note, and mortgage documents are part of that stack. We review closing documents before or at the closing table, flag anything that conflicts with the agreed terms, and make sure earnest money has been applied correctly and that the settlement statement reflects the deal as negotiated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a lawyer to close on a house in Michigan?
Michigan does not require a buyer or seller to have an attorney present at closing. A licensed title company can handle the closing mechanics without one. That said, no one else at the closing table is obligated to give you independent legal advice — the title company represents the transaction, not you. An attorney review is particularly valuable when the purchase agreement contains unusual terms, when disclosure issues have surfaced, or when the title commitment includes exceptions you do not fully understand.Who reviews the purchase agreement when buying a home in Rochester Hills?
In a standard transaction, your real estate agent may walk you through the purchase agreement, but agents are not attorneys and cannot give legal advice. The title company does not review the agreement on your behalf. If you want independent legal review of the purchase agreement before you sign — including an assessment of contingency language, inspection terms, and cost allocations — that requires an attorney. We provide that review for buyers and sellers in Rochester Hills and throughout Oakland County.What is a seller disclosure statement and what happens if it is incomplete?
Michigan's Seller Disclosure Act requires residential sellers to complete a written disclosure statement covering the known condition of the property, including structural components, mechanical systems, environmental conditions, and legal matters affecting title. An incomplete or inaccurate disclosure can give a buyer grounds for a post-closing claim. Sellers benefit from legal guidance on what the statute requires and how to document disclosures in a way that is accurate and defensible.What should I look for in a title insurance commitment?
A title insurance commitment lists the conditions the title company requires before it will issue a policy, along with the exceptions to coverage — the items the policy will not cover. Common exceptions include easements, deed restrictions, and unresolved liens. Most buyers receive the commitment shortly before closing and do not review it carefully. An attorney review confirms that the exceptions are acceptable, that any required conditions have been satisfied, and that the warranty deed being delivered matches what the purchase agreement requires.What is earnest money and how is it handled at closing?
Earnest money is a deposit made by the buyer at the time the purchase agreement is executed, held in escrow until closing. It signals the buyer's commitment to the transaction and is applied toward the purchase price at closing. The purchase agreement governs what happens to earnest money if the transaction falls through — whether the buyer forfeits it, the seller retains it, or it is returned. We review earnest money provisions as part of purchase agreement review and confirm that the settlement statement at closing reflects the correct application of the deposit.