Real Estate Transactions Attorney

Rokita Law P.C. assists buyers, sellers, investors, and businesses with real estate transactions throughout Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Newport Beach, and Orange County. We handle the legal work involved in buying, selling, leasing, and transferring property, including contract review, negotiation, and transaction documents. With experience handling both real estate transactions and disputes, Attorney Amanda Rokita understands the issues that can arise before and after a deal closes. 

What Is a Real Estate Transaction?

A real estate transaction is any legal transfer of an interest in real property. It includes residential and commercial purchases and sales, leases, financing, and exchanges. Each transaction runs on a set of documents, the purchase agreement, disclosures, escrow instructions, and closing paperwork, and every one of those documents allocates risk between the parties.

The value of a real estate attorney is in the details most people skim. A missing contingency, a vague deadline, or an unclear indemnity clause can cost a party far more than the price of getting the contract right the first time.

Real Estate Transactions We Handle

We represent buyers, sellers, landlords, tenants, and investors across the full range of California real estate transactions:

• Residential and commercial purchase and sale agreements
• Contract review, drafting, and negotiation
• Due diligence and title review
• Escrow instructions and closing coordination
• Commercial and residential leases
• 1031 exchanges for real estate investors
• Seller disclosure compliance
• Financing and loan document review
• Co-ownership and joint venture agreements
• Property transfers between entities and individuals

Why Work With a Real Estate Attorney Before You Sign

California allows most real estate deals to close without an attorney, but that does not mean it is wise for every transaction. High-value property, commercial deals, investment purchases, and any transaction with unusual terms carry risk that a standard form contract does not address. Reviewing the agreement while the terms are still open lets you negotiate the clauses that matter before you are bound by them.

We also draft the agreements that prevent disputes later. A well-built purchase agreement or lease anticipates the ways a deal can go sideways and gives you a clear remedy if it does. That is the difference between a contract that looks fine and one that protects you when cooperation breaks down.

Transactions and Disputes Under One Roof

Because we handle real estate litigation as well as transactions, we know how these agreements are tested in court. When we draft for you, we are drafting for the worst case, not just the closing. If a transaction we handled ever becomes a dispute, the same firm that knows the deal can enforce it, without bringing a new attorney up to speed.

Serving Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, and Orange County

The Los Angeles and Beverly Hills markets move fast and involve some of the most valuable property in California. We help clients close with confidence, from a first home in the city to a commercial building or an investor adding to a portfolio. Our Newport Beach office brings the same service to buyers, sellers, and investors across Orange County. Wherever your property sits in Southern California, we make sure the paperwork works in your favor.

Talk to a Real Estate Transactions Attorney

Before you sign a purchase agreement, lease, or investment contract, have an attorney who will protect your interests review it. Call Rokita Law P.C. at (888) 765-4825 or schedule a consultation. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

Closing a Real Estate Deal in Los Angeles and Orange County

California puts specific disclosure duties on residential sellers. For most sales of one-to-four-unit homes, the seller must give the buyer a Transfer Disclosure Statement under California Civil Code section 1102, along with a Natural Hazard Disclosure. These forms are not a formality. They are often the first place a court looks if a buyer later claims a defect was hidden.

Deeds are recorded with the county recorder where the property sits. For Beverly Hills and Los Angeles property, that is the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. For Newport Beach and the rest of Orange County, it is the Orange County Clerk-Recorder. Recording is also where local transfer taxes are collected, and this is where Los Angeles deals differ from the rest of the region.

Property within the City of Los Angeles is subject to the city’s Measure ULA transfer tax on high-value sales, on top of the standard county documentary transfer tax. The thresholds adjust each year, so the exact figures change, but the point for a seller is simple: a high-value sale inside Los Angeles city limits can carry a significant additional tax that a sale in a separate city like Beverly Hills or Newport Beach does not. Factoring that in before you sign can change the math on a deal.

For investors, the federal 1031 exchange rules run on strict deadlines: 45 days to identify a replacement property and 180 days to close. Missing either one can undo the tax benefit, so these timelines need to be built into the transaction from the beginning.

Helpful resources

• California Civil Code section 1102 (seller disclosure) (the official statute on residential transfer disclosures).
• California Department of Real Estate (state agency overseeing real estate licensees and consumer guidance).

Related pages from Rokita Law

• Real Estate Attorney
• Understanding the 1031 Exchange
• Residential Lease vs. Commercial Lease in California
• How Business Escrow Works in California

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a real estate transaction attorney do?

A real estate transaction attorney reviews, drafts, and negotiates the contracts behind buying, selling, leasing, or transferring property. The goal is to make sure the agreement fits your goals and protects you if the deal runs into trouble. We handle these transactions for clients across Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, and Orange County.

Do I need a lawyer to buy a house in California?

You are not required to, but an attorney is valuable for high-value purchases, commercial deals, investment property, and any transaction with unusual terms. A review before you sign can catch and fix clauses that create risk.

When should I involve an attorney in a real estate deal?

Before you sign. Reviewing the agreement while the terms are still open lets you negotiate the provisions that create risk, rather than discovering a problem after you are already bound.

What is due diligence in a real estate transaction?

Due diligence is the investigation you do before closing to confirm what you are buying. It includes title review, inspections, verifying zoning and permits, and reviewing leases or contracts tied to the property. We help clients complete due diligence so there are no surprises after closing.

What is a 1031 exchange?

A 1031 exchange lets a real estate investor defer capital gains taxes by reinvesting the proceeds of a sale into a similar property within strict deadlines. The rules are technical, and missing a deadline can undo the tax benefit, so careful handling matters.

What is the difference between a residential and a commercial lease?

Residential leases are heavily regulated and favor tenant protections, while commercial leases are largely negotiable and put more responsibility on the tenant. The terms of a commercial lease can shift significant cost and risk, which is why review before signing is important.

What disclosures must a seller make in California?

California requires sellers to disclose known material defects and other facts that affect the value or desirability of a property. Failing to disclose can lead to liability after the sale, so accurate disclosures protect the seller as well as the buyer.

Can the same firm handle my transaction and any later dispute?

Yes, and there is an advantage to it. Because we handle both transactions and real estate litigation, the same firm that drafted your agreement can enforce it if a dispute arises, without a new attorney having to learn the deal.

How much does it cost to hire a real estate transaction attorney?

Cost depends on the complexity of the transaction. Some matters can be handled for a flat fee, while others are billed hourly. We discuss the fee structure with you up front before any work begins.

Where does Rokita Law handle real estate transactions?

We serve buyers, sellers, and investors from our offices in Beverly Hills and Newport Beach, covering Los Angeles County, Orange County, and the surrounding areas of Southern California.