Real Property Title Advisor Available Services

  • You can receive legal advice regarding the real property title and get answers to your questions during an inexpensive consultation with Dwight Bickel. The fee for that consultation will be agreed upon in advance. Dwight Bickel does not charge for travel expenses, nor other unexpected fees.
  • A typical and recommended appointment will occur after a title report has been delivered by the title company, preferably provided to Dwight Bickel before the appointment. Next, you and Mr. Bickel will meet at the land to inspect the land itself, concluding with time to discuss the recorded title matters, possible unrecorded title matters, and to answer your questions.
  • Bickel typically will not prepare Purchase and Sale Agreements, nor other documents related to the closing of the transaction. Typical clients will rely upon the real estate brokers for standard form Purchase and Sale Agreements, will rely upon title companies for searching public records, and will rely upon escrow agents for the escrow closing, including a licensed Limited Practice Officer employed at the escrow company for preparation of the typical documents for a real estate transaction.
  • Occasionally, Mr. Bickel will be available to prepare documents for a seller to cure title problems, or Easement or Maintenance Agreements to assist the parties to a pending transaction, subject to agreement upon a reasonable fee.
  • Dwight Bickel will act as your real property lawyer for the services described here and upon the Engagement Agreement. Dwight will limit his discussions and his representation of you to these matters. If he perceives you should engage another lawyer for other matters, or that you should seek the advice of other professionals, he will assist you to find those services.
  • Dwight Bickel will seek information from you about what you intend to do upon the real property. You should know whether easements, covenants, restrictions and agreements might prevent the type of future improvements or the particular type of use of the real property that you intend.
  • Dwight Bickel will seek information from you about how you want to hold legal title. You should know consequences resulting from different types of estates and resulting from co-ownership with other people.
  • Dwight Bickel will seek information from you about how the value of this real property is treated by your future estate planning. You might prefer an alternative way to hold title.
  • Dwight Bickel will explain the title matters disclosed by the title report and the protections provided by title insurance policies. Often there is more title coverage available upon request to insure you are allowed to use the property as you intend.
  • Dwight Bickel will explain how the covenants and easements will give other people the right to limit your use of your land, will give other people the right to use part of your land, and could require you to pay maintenance expenses to your neighbors or dues to a homeowner’s association.
  • Dwight Bickel will offer to inspect the property, hopefully with you, then talk with you about real property issues disclosed by the title report or disclosed by inspection of the property. You should know about apparent rights of neighbors to use your land.
  • Dwight Bickel will give you experienced legal advice about possible adverse possession rights that your neighbors may have to claim ownership of a portion of the land inside the boundaries according to your deed legal description. You should understand about the unpredictable legal consequences of boundary disputes.
  • Dwight Bickel will give you experienced legal advice regarding whether your neighbor may legally start a legal action to require you to move a boundary improvement onto your side of the boundary line according to the recorded deed description.
  • Dwight Bickel will give you advice whether you should pay for a survey. You should understand the limited value of a survey that would reveal boundary improvements that encroach over the boundary with neighbors or over areas burdened by easements. You should be able to have an informed opinion about risks of boundary disputes. You should be able to have an informed opinion whether to hire a surveyor.
  • Dwight Bickel will explain that the typical title insurance policies do not provide full coverage against loss due to encroachments, matters that are visible from inspection, or matters that a survey would disclose. Some title insurance coverage can be obtained to provide limited coverage against expenses in the event a neighbor forces you to move boundary improvements. You should know about risks that are not protected by title insurance before you make an offer to buy real property.
  • Bickel’s legal services are further explained upon the Engagement Agreement that is available for you to download at the Resources tab.

Dwight Bickel Limits Private Practice Services for Clients

  • Dwight will limit his discussions and his representation of you to these matters. You should review the document entitled Limitations of Title Advisor Representation and Services regarding other legal services that you might seek from a full-service lawyer that would provide more complete legal representation for you.
  • If Mr. Bickel discovers information disclosing that you should seek the advice of another lawyer, if you require assistance of an attorney in any legal proceedings, or if he perceives you should engage any other professional assistance for other matters, he will assist you to find those services.
  • Review a list of What should you expect to receive during a consultation appointment with Dwight Bickel, as your real property title advisor? 
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