What should I do if asked for my attorney's information and I don’t have one, nor have the funds to get one?

If  a listing agent is telling you need an attorney to close & you do not have one, then start to look for attorneys in your area. You can literally go to Google.com and search "real estate attorneys in my area," or type in "real estate attorneys" and your city name.

For how the attorney is paid, it depends on the contract with your attorney. Some will bill by the hour, some will do it for a flat fee, some will do it for a flat fee with a "non-refundable" deposit of a portion of the fee with the remainder to be paid at closing, and others will only get paid if the transaction closes. So, be sure to ask the attorney what their standard fee agreement looks like. 

Most law firms and attorneys will take free initial consultation calls with you to see your needs and to see if they can be of service. These initial consultations can be over the phone or in-person and can last 10 mins to an hour. Ask the different attorneys you set up the free initial consultations with if they are open to being paid when you close on or assign a deal.

There is not a “one size fit all” solution in this case. Your goal is to find attorneys that are open to only being paid if the deal closes, but it may take some searching. One thing you can do to incentivize the attorney is to let them know you plan on doing “x” amount of deals this year and that you are looking to build a long-term relationship with an attorney in your area for years to come. An attorney will be much more willing to work with you if you let them know you intend on doing volume rather than just one deal with them! 

In summary, start scheduling free consultations with attorneys in your area (be aware that they may not take calls over the weekend), ask them what their standard fee agreements looks like, see if they're open to being paid only if the deal closes, and let them know you are looking to build a long-term business relationship with an attorney in your area.

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