Thursday, October 1, 2026
In real estate, details matter — and one of the most important decisions buyers and sellers can make is hiring a specialized real estate attorney.
According to Signature Premier Properties real estate professional Oksana Malayeva, not all attorneys are equipped to handle the complexities of high-value property transactions.
She advises clients against hiring friends, relatives or general practitioners in an effort to save money.
“It’s important not to hire a cousin or a friend who you think is doing you a favor,” she said. “It’s better to hire a real estate attorney that knows Nassau County or Suffolk County.”
Local expertise can be critical when issues involving permits, deeds, title searches or municipal regulations arise. Even minor paperwork problems can delay a transaction or jeopardize a deal entirely.
“There’s so much that goes on behind the sale,” Malayeva said. “Permits, the deed and more — it’s all important.”
She recently worked on a transaction in which missing paperwork delayed contracts for weeks, causing concern for the buyer.
“The seller couldn’t find the deed to sell the house,” Malayeva said. “It took them three weeks to send the contracts out. The buyer got cold feet because they thought there was something wrong with the house.”
The experience reinforced the importance of preparation before listing a property.
“Before you put a house on the market, you’ve got to have all the paperwork intact,” she said.
Experienced real estate attorneys handle far more than contracts. They coordinate title searches, resolve liens, review contingencies and help ensure compliance with local regulations. Buyers and sellers should each have their own attorney representing their interests throughout the transaction.
While mortgage rates and financing often dominate real estate conversations, Malayeva believes the legal side of the process deserves more attention.
“A lot of people talk about mortgages,” she said. “We don’t talk about what goes on behind the scenes of a sale.”
In real estate, where transactions involve substantial financial investments, specialized legal representation can provide both protection and peace of mind.
Herald Content Studio articles are produced by the Herald’s marketing division and independent of the newsroom. The Herald may be compensated by featured companies or purchases made through these articles, which does not constitute the Herald’s endorsement.
