Real Estate Paralegal-FG

D.R. Horton•Indianapolis, IN

About The Position

Forestar Group Inc. is a residential and real estate development company and a majority-owned subsidiary of D.R. Horton, Inc., the largest homebuilder by volume in the United States for sixteen consecutive years. Forestar Group is currently looking for an Real Estate Paralegal. The right candidate will assist the Forestar Region teams with processing the contracting, entitlement, and closing of real estate acquisitions. Responsible for procurement of information and documentation for due diligence reviews, including title, zoning, permitting, and other entitlements. Responsible for initial drafting and organizing of transactional documents for real estate closings. Will assist with organizing and fulfilling checklists, including arranging closing documentation and obtaining necessary transactional approvals.

Requirements

Associate degree or equivalent from two-year college or technical school
5+ years of Real Estate transactional experience
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Highly organized and able to track an acquisition from initial contact through closing
Must be a self-starter with the ability to work independently and within a team
Demonstrate an ability to meet strict deadlines, with multiple projects while maintaining organized project files
Must process creative problem-solving skills, resourcefulness and tenacity
Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written oral form or via FOR applications
Proficiency with MS Office, with proficiency in MS Excel and Outlook, with high proficiency in MS Word
Ability to sit for majority of 8-hour workday; use hands to finger, handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; talk and hear. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and peripheral vision
The noise level is generally moderate

Nice To Haves

Paralegal experience and/or certification is a plus
Experience in residential real estate is preferred

Responsibilities

Review and confirm legal descriptions of property based on third-party title work
Work with municipalities, governmental agencies, and outside consultants in obtaining key due diligence information and documentation for acquisition targets
Manage communication, document execution and workflow for closings of Forestar acquisitions
Review and confirm closing statements, including tax prorations and other fees/charges
Facilitate communication between Forestar Region, seller’s counsel, and closing counsel/settlement agent
Coordinate acquisition file management, involving coordinating all aspects of an acquisition and ensuring appropriate steps are taken in a timely fashion
Provide key closing documents to Corporate Accounting and provide entire closing package to corporate for permanent filing
Assist in drafting of purchase and sale agreements, assignments, development management agreements, amendments thereto, deeds and affidavits, and create closing checklists for all real estate deals
Assist in drafting and revising vendor agreements for construction and development of real estate, and create checklists regarding deliverables for Forestar and vendor pursuant to such agreements
Calculate legal deadlines and filing documents as required
Ensure the Forestar Region adheres to due diligence calendars and eliminate schedule conflicts
Review title reports and exception documents
Review certificates of insurance to confirm appropriate coverage and policy amounts
Draft and sign legal correspondence that is informative in nature but does not include legal opinion or advice
Prepare requests for funding of acquisitions and monitor financial transactions
Prepare closing instruction letters, closing documents and binders, review title policies and work with title companies regarding any policy issues
Perform clerical and administrative duties as needed
Understand entitlement processes and procedures
Perform legal research, fact gathering, and information retrieval both via traditional systems such as libraries and computer-based research
Respond to requests for information
Archive files and documents
Conducts all business in a professional and ethical manner to serve customers and increase the goodwill and proficiency of the company
Ability to work overtime, if needed based on office’s collective workload and impending deadlines