Common ways real estate work is billed
Residential closings and other routine transactions are often handled for a flat fee, with separate charges for title, recording, and other third-party costs that are not legal fees. Disputes, litigation, and complex commercial deals are more commonly billed by the hour against a retainer paid at the start. Some firms charge for an initial consultation and others do not, and a paid consultation may be credited toward later work. Contingency arrangements, in which the fee is a share of a recovery, are less common in real estate but appear in some matters, such as certain property tax challenges or claims for money. Whatever the structure, ask what is included, what counts as extra work, and how expenses such as filing fees are handled.
What to have in writing
New York generally requires lawyers to provide a written engagement letter or retainer agreement in many matters, explaining the scope of the work, the fees and expenses, and how billing will work. Check whether the fee covers only the contract and closing or also post-closing issues, title problems, or a deal that falls through. If a transaction does not close, ask in advance what you will owe. Clients are entitled to ask for itemized bills, and New York runs a fee dispute resolution program that covers many disagreements over legal fees. For the consultation itself, bring the documents you have, such as a contract, lease, title report, or court papers, so the time goes to your question rather than to locating facts.
What a consultation can settle
A first meeting should leave you knowing what kind of matter you have, what the next step is, and roughly how the work would be billed. For transactions, we discuss the timeline, who else is involved, such as brokers, lenders, and title companies, and what the fee covers. For disputes, cost depends heavily on whether the matter can be resolved by letter or negotiation or has to go to court, so we usually explain the stages and the main cost drivers rather than quoting a single figure. We tell you our fee structure for the matter before any work begins and put it in writing. If the matter is not one we handle, we say so early.
