Being safe with your real estate lawyer
As with other types of deals, doing business in real estate can be tricky simply because of the different styles of contracts, the assets involved, and the various clauses and contingencies. To protect yourself, you want a real estate lawyer on your side to review all documents and guidelines.
Having a lawyer involved when dealing with real estate is the best way to make sure you are getting the deal you expect, and to put contingencies in place that protect your interests, your liability and your assets.
Things this practice gets involved with
- Due diligence
- Financing
- Mortgage approval
- Contracts
- Title matters
- Inspections
- Closings
- Co-op approval
Matters handled include
- Sales
- Purchases
- Leasing and other transfers of real estate and real property
- Title to real property
- Landlord/tenant issues
- Property development
- Settlement of claims against property rights
- Zoning and land use
- Financing, mortgages, and foreclosures
- Real estate investments and related matters
Filing on Staten Island
Staten Island is the exception among the five boroughs: property documents are not recorded through ACRIS. They are recorded with the Richmond County Clerk.
This trips up buyers, sellers and even out-of-borough professionals who assume the City Register handles all five boroughs. Getting the recording venue right is a basic step that is easy to get wrong here.
Staten Island Real Estate Lawyer — common questions
Why can I not find my Staten Island property on ACRIS?
Because Staten Island is not on ACRIS. Richmond County property documents are recorded with the Richmond County Clerk, not the City Register. This is the single most common point of confusion for people and professionals coming from the other four boroughs.
Does that change anything about my closing?
It changes where documents go and how recording is handled, and it is a step that gets missed by parties who assume the City Register covers all five boroughs. City transfer taxes still apply — Staten Island is part of New York City.
Staten Island has more one-family houses than the other boroughs. Does that matter?
It changes the typical transaction. More detached and semi-detached houses means fewer board approvals and more attention to survey, certificate of occupancy, additions made without permits, and flood zone status in the coastal areas.
The answers above are general information about practising real estate law on Staten Island, not legal advice, and do not create an attorney-client relationship. Court locations and filing offices are stated as of 2026; confirm current details with the court before relying on them.
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