Real Estate Lawyer in Bethpage, New York

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516-364-6501

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Mon-Fri: 9:00 – 5:30pm
Weekends: By appointment

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Are you looking for a real estate lawyer in Bethpage, New York? Joan Agostino PC is conveniently located right off of the Seaford Oyster Bay Expressway (Route 135)real estate lawyer in Bethpage, New York

Joan Agostino is the Principal Attorney of the firm with over 25 years experience. Joan strives to give each and every client the individual attention they deserve and to treat them with the utmost respect. Joan’s attention to detail, dedication and legal skills set her apart from other lawyers.

    • EDUCATION: Juris Doctor, St. John’s University, Jamaica, New York, May 1991.
    • BAR ADMISSIONS: New York, 1992; Connecticut, 1991.
    • COURT ADMISSIONS: UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT, EASTERN DISTRICT, 1994; UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT, WESTERN DISTRICT, 2001; UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT, 2013.
    • LICENSES: Real Estate Broker, Notary Public.

real estate lawyer in Bethpage, New York

Providing Real Estate Closing Services for Buyers and Sellers on Long Island, NY

Real estate closings are complicated transactions with multiple parties involved in the process. Trust the experience of Joan Agostino, P.C. to lead you through each stage of the closing. Joan Agostino, P.C. has been in business for over 25 years and has been representing buyers, sellers, and lenders in both residential and commercial transactions.  We are committed to safeguarding our clients’ investment and to guide them through the entire process in the most cost-effective manner possible, with the highest level of service.

Consult with Experienced Real Estate Lawyers That Care:

We give each client the personalized attention their case requires. Our law firm is one you can count on. As your real estate lawyers, we apply our expertise with the law to protect your rights and interests.

real estate lawyer in Bethpage, New York

Call Joan Agostino, P.C. today for a free consultation regarding any real estate matter, including:

Buying and Selling Property

New Construction

Refinancing

Transfer of Title and Ownership

Resolution of Landlord/Tenant Disputes

Residential and Commercial Leases

Title issues

Boundary Dispute Representation

Contract Disputes

Easements, Right of Way, and Access Issues

Property Liens

Real Estate Litigation

Contact us when you need the services of knowledgeable, thorough, and dependable real estate lawyer in Bethpage, New York.

Buying and Selling Property in Bethpage, New York

Whether you’re a first-time home-buyer or a veteran homeowner searching for a new home, buying property on Long Island may differ from buying property anywhere else, but your options are endless — varying from single-family homes, multiple family dwellings, condos, co-op and apartment style living. With over 10 townships and 500 communities, at Joan Agostino PC, we want to be your real estate lawyer in Bethpage, New York who helps you buy or sell the home of your dreams.

What’s the Long Island home-buying process?

real estate lawyer in Bethpage, New York

Accepted offer: The buyer and seller mutually agree on a sales price for the home.

Home inspection: The buyer hires a professionally licensed home inspector to see if there if there are any significant problems with the home such as potential gas leaks and structural issues. If the inspector comes across any major problems, this will be discussed with our real estate lawyer in Bethpage, New York.

Contract signing (buyer): If major problems do not arise during the inspection, the seller’s attorney will prepare a contract to be sent over to the buyer’s attorney. An appointment to sign the contract will be made by the buyer’s attorney which will then be gone over with the buyer. If all are in agreement, the buyer will sign the contract, and the attorney will send the contract back to the seller’s attorney.

Contract signing (seller): Once the contract is gone over with the seller and the seller’s attorney, the seller will sign the contract and the seller’s attorney will resend the contract back to the buyer’s attorney.

Mortgage process: When the buyer gets ahold of a copy of their contract, they hand it over to their loan officer, and the mortgage process begins. In about two to four weeks, the buyer will receive their mortgage commitment.

Bank appraisal ordered: When a mortgage is received, the bank will send out an appraiser. The buyer’s agent/attorney will meet with the appraiser and conduct a home inspection and take pictures. The appraiser will then pull together comparable homes and make adjustments. If a home comes in lower than the accepted offer, the seller can either accept or decline the lower price. If the seller declines, the deal is dead, and the buyer has to restart their home search.

Mortgage commitment issued: Once it is issued, the buyer will have to immediately give the bank whatever they need so the file can be reviewed.

Title search: This is conducted by the buyer’s attorney once the buyer receives their mortgage commitment. The search is to see if there are any liens on the property, to make sure the current owner is the actual owner, and to see who owned it before. If there are liens, they must be paid by the current owner or the home won’t close. The seller is responsible to deliver the property to the buyer with a clean title.

Clear to close: The mortgage file is looked at by an underwriter who then goes to the bank and for a clear to close.

Closing day: On this day, the seller’s attorney, buyer’s attorney, bank attorney, and title closer must show up together with the buyer and seller to close on the home.

Documents to sign: Both the buyer and seller will have documents to sign.

Buyers get the keys!

The Long Island home-selling process is pretty similar to the home-buying process, of course without a few steps. Are you wondering if you can sell your house “as is”? Request an appointment with our real estate lawyer in Bethpage, New York if you are planning on buying or selling a home.

A commercial lease is a rental agreement between a business and a landlord. There are many more factors at play in commercial leases which makes it more complicated than residential leases, but our real estate lawyer in Bethpage, New York can guide you through the whole process.

How to lease commercial real estate on Long Island

real estate lawyer in Bethpage, New York

1 – Set Commercial Real Estate Parameters

The first thing you want to do is set your property parameters. There is a wide range of commercial properties for all different kinds of business. You will want to understand and consider the variances to make the right selection for your needs:

Ideal customer (employee pool): If you’re a business looking to attract visitors to your location, — restaurants, retail locations, and similar companies — then understanding your ideal customer will be the most critical parameter for you.

Property size and zoning: Commercial properties are zoned for a specific use, and it’s crucial to understand this. They include industrial, office, leisure, restaurant, and retail. For example, if you’re a restaurant, you cannot lease space zoned for retail.

Maximum budget: You want to find a commercial space within your monthly budget, therefore understanding your budget will help you limit your search to only properties you can afford.

Desired size: For example, retail locations usually require 15 square feet per customer. You want to multiply this number by the number of customers you expect to have to determine the size you will need for your commercial space.

Accessibility: This is especially important for retail and restaurants — ex. parking for your customers; think about locations with a high amount of foot and vehicle traffic.

2 – Find a Commercial Real Estate Broker

A majority of commercial real estate leases are done by brokers, are they can be broken down into:

    • Leasing/listing agent — represents landlords
    • Tenant broker — represents tenants

A landlord hires a listing agent when he/she wants to list their commercial property. They earn a commission which is paid by the landlord — usually 3-6% of the total lease; tenant brokers earn tenant broker’s fees. Listing agents always act in the best interests of the landlord, whereas that’s not the case with tenant brokers — instead, they may act as an objective third-party.

3 – Understand the Different Types of Commercial Leases

Commercial leases can be broken down into three types differing solely on the way costs and fees are assessed. These three types are:

    • Full-service lease: This is the most common type for office buildings with rent being all-inclusive meaning the landlord is responsible for paying the expenses associated with the property.
    • Net lease: The landlord charges a lower annual rent when compared to a full-service lease, but can include monthly “usual costs” such as property taxes.
    • Modified gross lease: This is a compromise of both the full and net lease.
    • Identify the Right Commercial Property

Assess these in addition to property parameters:

    • Location
    • Amenities and services
    • History of the landlord
    • Anchor tenants

4 – Negotiate Commercial Lease Terms

Once you’ve gone through steps one through four, it’s time to negotiate the leases. When you are negotiating, you will write a business letter of intent that represents your offer — this is where you want to sell yourself; why would you be the perfect tenant? Our real estate lawyer in Bethpage, New York can help you with this.

Leasing commercial real estate can take some time, but our real estate lawyer in Bethpage, New York can assist you through the whole process. With the different types of leases and options for commercial spaces, it can be difficult to get your head around which way to go. Schedule an appointment with Joan Agostino today if you need help when it comes to commercial real estate.

How To Flip A House in Bethpage, New York

real estate lawyer in Bethpage, New York

If you are planning to flip a house in the near future, consider these tips to help you better plan the process.  Flipping a house can be an excellent way to rejuvenate a community, seek a return on financial investment, and help restore the value of a home.  It has its challenges however and seeking an expert for advice during this process may be critical to making or breaking the real estate deal. Joan Agostino is well-versed in real estate law and can provide the insight you need during this process. If you are looking for a real estate lawyer in Bethpage, New York, read this article and contact Joan Agostino for an initial consultation.  

Where is the title?

So you have found the house you want to acquire and have done the necessary research on it.  This includes, for example, the current value, market value, and taxes on the property, in addition to the local amenities including transportation score, school systems, and community demographics.  It is important at this time to do a title search for the current property owner. It frequently occurs, especially in the distressed markets arena, that the person selling the property does not actually own the title to the property.  This means that the buyer may be subject to liens, tax authorities, and other municipalities which were not initially projected in the original plan. If you are looking for a real estate lawyer in Bethpage, New York, contact Joan Agostino because she specializes in all real estate matters.

Hiring a Lawyer vs. Only Using a Real Estate Agent

A lawyer’s goal is to prevent any legal issues that may arise before, during and after a real estate deal.  The lawyer has the buyer’s best interest in mind because they are getting paid to look out for the best case scenario of the client.  A real estate agent, on the other hand, is more interested in closing the deal in order to get paid commission. Also, consider that a lawyer has the resources and tools to interpret contracts, settle disputes, and legally close a transaction.  All of these utilities are necessary when properly closing a deal. If you reside in New York State, a real estate attorney is mandated to close the sale.

Avoiding Mortgage Loan Fraud

Most people do not have the money to buy a home with a lump sum cash payment.  This means that the buyer will have to take out a loan from a bank or lending agency to mortgage the home. Seeking advice from a lawyer will help you avoid poor lending deals such as high-interest rates, false statements, and “no money down” gimmicks.  In addition, a lawyer can do the due diligence to ensure the lender has the correct local and state licenses to finance the deal.

Real Estate lawyer in Bethpage, New York

Bethpage is a hamlet and CDP (census-designated place) in the Town of Oyster Bay. It is located in Nassau County, NY on Long Island. Due to the CDP having slightly different borders in the area, the hamlet includes other parts of surrounding hamlets. These include Old Bethpage, Plainview, and Plainedge. The area was given its name by Quaker Thomas Powell, after the biblical town of Bethpage that was located between Jericho and Jerusalem in the Holy Lands. The land was officially purchased during the Bethpage Purchase of 1695. Aside from its original name, the area has also frequently been referred to as Bedeltown.

Contact Joan Agostino if you are in the market for a real estate lawyer in Bethpage, New York.  She is a trusted lawyer on Long Island with over 25 years of experience and a team of compassionate attorneys here to help you.  For any legal questions or inquiries, contact Joan Agostino today to successfully flip a house!

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Company Name
Joan Agostino PC
Service Offered
Real Estate Lawyer
Area Served
Bethpage