Do I Have To Use The Lawyer That My Realtor Recommends?

No, but you can. First of all, your Realtor should be giving you more than one lawyer’s name. Your Realtor is likely recommending him or her because of good work that he or she has seen come out of their office in the past. That is a good start, but there are other considerations. Is your Realtor recommending them because they are cheap and in turn, thinks that this is what you want or need? Price should be only one consideration, and quite frankly, not the most important- especially since most real estate attorneys charge about the same anyway. Back to your Realtor recommendation, assuming that your Realtor recommends “X” and “Y” lawyers based on service or a relationship or whatever & not just price, this does not mean that his or her personality will match yours or that their style of working is compatible with your service needs. Lots of people prefer to work with lawyers whom they already know who is experienced with real estate closings – or simply someone independent from the Realtor. Your Realtor wants you to be happy and will understand, so don’t worry about ‘offending’ anyone (likewise if you are buying, you don’t have to use the lender that your agent recommends either). At the end of the day, you have to be comfortable with your selection.