Real Estate Paralegal

Becker•Fort Lauderdale, FL

11d

About The Position

Becker is a multi-practice, commercial law firm with international affiliates and 16 offices in Florida, New York, New Jersey and Washington, DC. Becker is a diverse commercial law firm that prides itself on client focused services and a commitment to always exceeding our client's expectations. We are looking for professionals who share the same commitment. Becker offers its employees competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package. POSITION SUMMARY: The real estate paralegal collects, analyzes, organizes, and maintains factual information and documents in accordance with correct legal practice and procedure.

Requirements

A real estate law paralegal shall possess an undergraduate degree and a minimum of three years’ experience working as a legal assistant or shall possess a high school diploma plus formal and extensive training as a paralegal.
In addition, the candidate for this position shall have at least five (5) years’ experience working in the real estate law section of a mid-size or large law firm.
Must have ability to process a volume of various types of real estate purchase and sale files and loan files simultaneously.
Strong organizational skills are a must.
Must have the ability to keep up to date reports on each file indicating status of file and what is pending.
Must have thorough knowledge of state and county customs and laws relating to real estate law, conveying property, title and surveying, condominium, and homeowner’s association laws.
Must have strong computer skills and have the ability to use Outlook calendar system, SoftPro or other industry-standard real estate software.

Responsibilities

Handle a moderate volume of residential and/or commercial real estate closings (25-30) from contract to closing.
Order title, lien search, survey, estoppel letters, and zoning (if applicable).
Calculate and calendar critical dates and proactively request extensions.
Prepare preliminary CD/Closing Statement and interacting with buyer’s lender.
Phone and email interaction with buyer, seller, agents, and lenders to ensure all parties are kept up to date on the status of their files.
Have competence in resolving title, lien, estoppel, and survey issues, and complete all processing duties so closing occurs timely.
Prepare and coordinate closing including notifying all parties cash to close and seller proceeds, coordinate funding and disbursements, and obtain lender approvals.
Understand how to balance a closing statement and incorporate lender funding “net” or “gross”.
Knowledge of industry closing software is required, SoftPro is preferred but not required.
Understand how to E-record and the order of recording.
Understand how to issue title policies in a timely fashion.
Draft and understand residential and commercial real estate documents including: Purchase and sales contracts Closing statements Closing documents (including deed, bill of sale, affidavits, company resolutions, etc.) Loan documents (including promissory note, mortgage, assignment of leases, closing statements)
Due Diligence Activities
Understand “Defined Terms” within a purchase and sales contract and prepare, calendar and monitor contract critical dates.
Order and review title commitments, lien searches, zoning reports, surveys, environmental reports, etc.
Review and abstract leases
General knowledge of state and county transactional real estate customs and laws.
Understand different residential purchase / sale contracts such as FAR and FAR/BAR contracts.
Knowledge of title insurance regulations and standards.
Review B-I title conditions and B-II exceptions to title to satisfy conditions and to determine whether the B-II title exceptions encumber the property.
Review third-party reports and convey pertinent information to attorney and client
Review surveys and point out encroachments or violations.