Real Estate Transactions

Whether you are buying your first home, buying a vacation or rental property, are building a residence,
or are looking to move into a new primary residence, the real estate purchasing process can be
complicated and intimidating. At Carlson, Edwards, and O’Connor, our real estate attorneys are well educated on
 handling hundreds of cases of this type on an annual basis.

Colorado is unique in that generally speaking, your realtor or real estate broker will typically prepare
your real estate contract. In other states, real estate contracts are closely guarded secrets, for which
attorneys can charge thousands of dollars, simply for the use of their usual draft. Colorado has uniform
real estate contracts which were jointly authored by attorneys and realtors, and are sufficient for most
transactions involving property in Colorado.

However, your realtor or real estate broker is not your attorney, and often cannot provide you with
specific advice on the legality, or meaning, of particular terms in that agreement. At Carlson, Edwards,
and O’Connor, we review many contracts each year, providing opinion letters to our clients about their
protections, rights, and obligations contained within those documents.

A real estate transaction is big business. You may be spending hundreds of thousands of dollars of
borrowed money to purchase a property. You may be purchasing a property that is subject to the
control of a homeowners’ association. You may be purchasing a property that does not permit certain
kinds of use, such as short-term rentals. Our experienced legal professionals can help you better
understand the transaction, the terms, and your exposure, if any, as you move through the process. We
have existing relationships in the Summit and Eagle County areas with established and reputable
realtors and title companies. We work regularly with appraisers, and building inspectors. In short, we
bring a wide range of experience to the table, and an even larger range of experience that we can call
on, to find you the answers to your questions. Because we live and practice locally, we know the pitfalls
and benefits of real estate transactions in our community, and would be happy to help you understand
the process better, should you need. If you are engaged in, or about to engage in, a real estate
transaction in Colorado, call our office to schedule a consultation today, so you can make the most
informed decision with your attorney’s guidance.