If you need the help of a real estate attorney while buying/selling a house or investigating a house sale, you may research local lawyers and reach out to a few. You may agree to speak with a few attorneys to get an idea of how they work. Asking questions is the best way to get an initial idea of how well your own goals align with the goals of a prospective attorney. Asking the right questions is also a good way to make sure they're legitimate and that you notice no red flags when speaking with them. 

Here are three great questions to consider asking a real estate attorney: 

1. What type of experience do you have? 

While it's easy to visit a law firm's website or visit the firm itself and easily spot a lawyer's credentials, it's harder to find out what type of experience they have in your specific area unless they provide testimonials or you ask about their level of experience. What cases have they handled recently? How many houses have they helped homeowners within the area you're looking in or looking to move out of? 

2. How many clients do you help at once?

This is a good question to ask to check for red flags. Is your lawyer handling too many cases at once to give your case the personal attention it deserves? You can follow up by asking how many people will be working on your case. It's common for a couple of professionals to be involved in a real estate case, but if your attorney hints that there will be many people involved with it, this may be a red flag. You should especially be wary if you find out that paralegals will largely be handling your case. 

3. What complications might exist with my case? 

When asking this question, you're looking for an honest answer. If the attorney says there will be no complications whatsoever, this may be a red flag. Most real estate cases involve some complexities or challenges, even if they don't appear at the onset. Any experienced attorney knows this and should be prepared to tackle any challenges that do arise-- and they should be open to discussing those challenges with you. If your attorney ever seems to give you an answer that doesn't seem genuine, this is a giant red flag. 

Honesty is vital in any attorney-client relationship. When screening a potential attorney, you're looking for honest, genuine answers that make it obvious this person will be a great person to work with. If you're able to work as a team with your attorney, you'll have a higher chance of success.