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DaniJude
You're My Home <3
Member since 11/06 14815 total posts
Name:
Danielle
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Lawyer/Closing Costs:
A lot of you have been following the absolute ODYSSEY that has been us buying our first home.
Good news: almost over! Five+ months later, two different mortgage people, and we are finally going to officially close. So, thank God. The problem: my lawyer who has been AWFUL from day ONE called me the other day and casually mentioned that we need to "discuss" increasing his fee b/c of the "additional time/work" needed because this process has taken an inordinate amount of time.
Today I get an email asking me to "kindly" send out a check for $750.
He doesn't mention if this is in ADDITION to his contracted original fee, he doesn't say if this is what we have left to pay in total and that's it. I'm confused but the way it was worded makes it sound like he wants this in ADDITION to his regular fee.
His regular fee: $900
I paid him $450 upon signing the contract
Then the rest was due at closing.
So, what do you make of this?
Does he deserve extra money? If so, how much?
What do you guys think? He has barely done his job from day one lol I just don't feel right about giving him more because the mortgage companies have been taking forever. What extra has he done?? 
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Posted 7/7/10 10:40 PM  |
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Prudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate
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JustJack
:)
Member since 2/06 2041 total posts
Name:
J
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Re: Lawyer/Closing Costs:
DO NOT give him that. If he told you 900, then 900 it is. He could have told you in the beginning that his fee is dependent on the time and effort involved but he did not. Sometimes it is an easy closing, sometimes not, and he has to deal with that. Especially since he was terrible! What nerve!!!
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| Posted 7/7/10 11:02 PM |
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Mrs213
????????
Member since 2/09 18986 total posts
Name:
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Re: Lawyer/Closing Costs:
No Way! He should have given you an agreement up front that disclosed any additional costs and what the fee was - If it doesn't apply to anything that has happened here don't pay him that...
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| Posted 7/7/10 11:12 PM |
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MrsFrizzle
<3
Member since 9/09 4628 total posts
Name:
Kristin
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Re: Lawyer/Closing Costs:
Not a chance. Lawyer fees are one price no matter what! We had a flat fee of $950 and we back out of one contract and went into another and it dragged out 5 months AND a different lawyer had to show up on the day of closing and it still was the same fee. More money was never even discsussed.
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| Posted 7/7/10 11:22 PM |
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NoStressMom
My Heart and Soul
Member since 5/05 11122 total posts
Name:
D
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Re: Lawyer/Closing Costs:
BS pay him the $900 and thats it!! Plus when we closed is when we paid our lawyer not up front!!! Was he recommended to you by someone?
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| Posted 7/8/10 7:50 AM |
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alli3131
Peanut is here!!!!!!
Member since 5/09 18388 total posts
Name:
Allison
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Re: Lawyer/Closing Costs:
Check the contract/piece of paper you signed with the atty. The 900 is probably not for everything that could possibly happen as another poster said.
But you do deserve an explanation of why you are getting charged more.
Because you had 2 mortgage companies the atty may have had to do more work.....it probably wasn't a lot but he is allowed to charge for that because it was not his fault that you changed mortgage companies.
Don't get crazy....just send him an email and ask him to explain it. Then you can decide if you think its fair. And truthfully he should have let you know when he got to the point he was going to charge extra, not wait til the closing.
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| Posted 7/8/10 8:19 AM |
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HeatherRose
Life is Good :)
Member since 11/07 6605 total posts
Name:
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Re: Lawyer/Closing Costs:
this is the EXACT same thing that happened to us!!!!!!!!!!
we paid the same fee ($900) and was asked to pay extra, but at least we were told before closing!
we did it because we really had no choice, we really needed to move forward and starting over with a new laywer was going to cost us more then what he was asking. ours only asked for $450 more. I'm sure he did it because he knew that fact, so he was still screwing us But I should have started over the money would have been very well spent!
IMO just pay the fee and be done!!! I can't believe you still haven't closed yet, I thought you were closing a week or 2 ago!
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| Posted 7/8/10 9:57 AM |
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Pray4Baby2010
<3 Cutest Giants Fan
Member since 10/09 5796 total posts
Name:
MB
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Re: Lawyer/Closing Costs:
honestly it completely stinks but as another poster said- he has you now- so I would pay it and be done with it- definitely find out what the extra is for and see if you can negotiate him down
sorry he is doing this to you 
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| Posted 7/8/10 10:51 AM |
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DaniJude
You're My Home <3
Member since 11/06 14815 total posts
Name:
Danielle
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Re: Lawyer/Closing Costs:
he's an arse.
turns out, it says at the bottom of the contract in a HUGE paragraph with a bunch of jargon that he can charge 300 bucks more if there is "additional work". we had no idea of this.
so i asked him to explain what "additional work" was and he just talked in circles. whatever. i just want to be done... i'm just happy it is not 750 more like i thought.
i told him i will pay 300 now and then the remaining 450 at closing. NO WAY am i paying everything up front.
hellllll no.
so that was that.
anyone know the french word for shower? yeah umm DOUCHE!!!!!!!!!!!! 
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| Posted 7/8/10 11:13 PM |
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