Attorney state
A state where a licensed attorney has to be involved in real estate closings, at least on some side of the deal. Most Northeast and some Midwest states are attorney states.
Every term like this one lights up in the step you're on.
Free to set up. No credit card.Part 1 of 4
Why a seller cares
Where you live decides who runs your closing. In an attorney state a lawyer is part of the closing table, and their fee and their schedule are part of your sale from the start.
Part 2 of 4
A simple example
Selling in Georgia, an attorney state, versus selling in Arizona, an escrow state. Same house, same price, a different person running the closing.
| Where the sale is | Who runs the closing |
|---|---|
| An attorney state | A closing attorney, sometimes one per side, with a fee on the settlement statement |
| An escrow or title state | A title or escrow company, with an escrow officer |
| A state that does either | Whichever the contract names, often by local custom |
The state's custom picks the closing team, and the closing team picks the timeline.
Part 3 of 4
What people get wrong
That an attorney state means hiring a lawyer to negotiate for you. The attorney's role is the closing itself; the negotiating is still yours.
Part 4 of 4 · where to read next
Where it appears in the sale
What a definition is, and what it isn't
Keighbor is a software company, not a law firm, brokerage, or tax adviser. This is general information, not legal, tax, financial, or real estate advice about your sale. Your situation may differ. Before acting on a contract, disclosure, title, tax, or pricing question, ask an appropriately licensed professional in your state.
Written and researched by Keighbor Research · drawn from the reference glossary · how we research and check what we publish
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