Hi there. Thank you for visiting my website. I am Tom Groth – your Fairfield County Real Estate Attorney, conveniently located on Bridgeport Avenue in Shelton. I have been practicing Real Estate Law in Connecticut for over a decade, with the deals and their complexities being myraid.

Being a Real Estate Attorney has its quirks. Many do not respect the role; even to some other attorneys, we are seen as paper pushers. Realtors see Attorneys as being the ones who slow down or “kill” deals. And many Attorneys who do Real Estate do not respect the gravity of their own responsibility in the transaction.

For most of my clients who are buying a home for the first or second time, residential real estate closings are the biggest financial transaction of their lives. The same is true for business owners who I have helped in acquiring a book of business or buying in to a venture.

The truth is that most of the time, it doesn't matter who is doing your paperwork as long as your paperwork is correct and the deal closes. Since many players in the real estate space see the lawyers' role as moving the paper and money around, this is what is seen. The seamless efficiency of stacks of paper that are always the same, and that match, and that are accurate, that's what most people see day in and day out when they are seeing a lot of real estate transactions.

My clients would tell you that selling and buying homes with me as their attorney is a smooth process for them. At Tom Groth Law PLLC, that's always the goal – smooth protection. What a real estate lawyer does behind the scenes is actually far more critical. It's just not what people see.

Your lawyer is doing everything reasonably possible to make sure that your money does not end up at risk. But we can break this down a little further. In a real estate transaction, you have three main things at risk.

The first risk is transactional and contractual. Depending on the terms of your purchase agreement, and the contingencies involved, as a buyer your deposit generally becomes at risk at some point before you close assuming that you either waive or meet certain contingencies (inspection, title, sale of prior home, mortgage, etc.)
The second risk is security. There is a risk that your money will go to the wrong place. Good attorneys are always making sure that they are being careful where money is sent, and that their own email accounts are secure and protected from intrusion. We verify wire instructions. We warn our clients against sending wires without confirming the instructions and we continue to warn each other of the same risks. I think that any real estate lawyer in Connecticut can tell you a story about how someone tried to or did steal client funds by pretending to be another party or representative in a real estate transaction.
The third risk is the property. What do I mean by that? Whether the seller can sell it to you and whether they own it without someone else having an unacceptable claim to it. A good real estate attorney protects clients by making sure that the title/ownership of the seller is clearly delineated and without any “clouds.” And they get their clients title insurance. This one happens to be listed last but it is not least. It's the most important job of a real estate attorney – to make sure the property can be conveyed and that it is conveyed.

I have handled and consulted on all types of transactions over the years, including:

• The Purchase of a single-family home
• The Purchase of a first home
• the Purchase of several investment properties
• The Purchase of a condo
• The Purchase and sale of a co-op
• Title issues with properties including Trusts, Estates, Government Liens, etc.
• Short-Sales
• IRS Foreclosure and Receiver actions
• Sales out of estates, business entities, and between family members or friends

I take a hands-on approach with all of my closings, but I don't let pedantry get in the way of viable and mutually beneficial deals. I look forward to speaking with you about your real estate needs. Please feel free to schedule a video call or give us a call today.

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I'm very excited to meet residents and business stakeholders in Shelton, Connecticut, and surrounding towns to discuss how we might work together if you are interested in connecting, or are looking for a Real Estate or Business Attorney in Fairfield county, please schedule a video call or give me a ring.

Looking forward to connecting! – Tom

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