Practice Areas
Real Estate, Zoning & Land Use
Pittsburgh Real Estate Attorneys — (412) 471-4128
Land Use and Zoning • Hearings and Appeals • Transactions • REO
The law firm of Weisel, Xides & Foerster provides aggressive advocacy and trusted legal advice to remove barriers to development and complete real estate transactions smoothly.
Based in Pittsburgh, our real estate attorneys extend a wide array of legal services for our clients throughout the state of Pennsylvania. We work closely with developers, financial institutions, landlords, commercial lease tenants, homeowner and condominium associations, and municipal bodies to reach workable, cost-effective solutions. The real estate lawyers at Weisel Xides & Foerster, LLP have been providing over fifty years of legal service and solutions to purchasers (home buyers, real estate investors, and commercial buyers), sellers (residential, land, and commercial sales), lending institutions (banks, mortgage brokers, private financing companies), and real estate personnel (real estate brokers, real estate agents, and real estate companies) throughout western Pennsylvania.
Land Use and Zoning
Our extensive knowledge of Pennsylvania zoning and land use law enables us to clear obstacles for commercial and residential real estate developers, contractors and other landowners. Our firm also represents local zoning boards and municipal bodies in legal matters.
Subdivision and development plans — Our extensive knowledge of the law and experience working with local officials enables us to assist clients in matters such as permitting, variances, rezoning, and regulatory compliance. We secure preliminary approval and final approval of development plans and subdivision plans, and protect owners' rights regarding non-conforming uses.
Real estate and land use litigation — We represent residential and commercial developers and other landowners in resolving legal conflicts through:
- Appeals of zoning board denials and decisions
- Hearings before municipal bodies
- Court challenges to local ordinances
Construction law — Construction law varies by state, and there are a number of terms used to describe a building that is under construction, including erection, construction, moving, conversion, alteration, remodeling, and addition. The local building inspection department, office of planning and zoning, or department of permits will have a listing of the necessary construction law permits, construction contract law regulations, and inspections related to building and zoning codes for new construction or remodeling. When a construction dispute arises, whether it is over a construction defect or a payment issue, this can delay the construction project and cause significant loss of time and money for various parties. We will work our client in a timely manner to resolve the dispute as quickly as possible to move the construction project forward. Whether you are a builder, contractor, or owner, please contact our office today and speak with an experienced Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Construction Law Lawyer Xides, Jr. so that we can help you resolve any conflicts you may be having with your construction project today. Weisel, Xides & Foerster represents owners, developers, contractors or subcontractors in disputes over scheduled completion, change orders, payment and liens, and all related matters.
Real estate closings — We represent buyers and sellers in residential and commercial property closings, including condominium and co-op sales. Our Pittsburgh Real Estate Attorney Xides, Jr. with more than 50 years of experience will work with you each step of the process to protect your interests during one of the most important investments in your life.
Real estate closings involve the execution and delivery of all necessary documents simultaneously with the payment of the purchase price and the settlement costs of the transaction. Conducting a real estate closing involves a series of complex phases: examination of the title, completion and explanation of legal documents, and resolution of any possible title difficulties. Our experienced Pittsburgh Real estate closing attorney will conduct each of the following steps: examine the title records for prior conveyances, unpaid mortgages, liens, judgments, easements, and other encumbrances and clouds on title; verify that the seller has the authority to convey a good title to the property and that no errors exist in the deeds in the chain of title; and negotiate with the title insurance company for insurance coverage to insure titles against any adverse claims of ownership, liens, and easements.
Contact our Pittsburgh Real Estate Closing Attorneys to provide you with their over 50 years of legal service in drafting a closing document for your real estate purchase to ensure that all of your interests are protected.
Contracts — Our experienced Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Real Estate Contract Lawyer can draft or review purchase and sales agreements, developer agreements, commercial lease agreements, and other real estate contracts. A real estate contract is a contract for the purchase/sale, exchange, or other conveyance of real estate between parties. Real estate called leasehold estate is actually a rental of real property such as an apartment, and leases (rental contracts) cover such rentals since they typically do not result in recordable deeds. Freehold ("More permanent") conveyances of real estate are covered by real estate contracts, including conveying fee simple title, life estates, remainder estates, and freehold easements. Real estate contracts are typically bilateral contracts (i. e., agreed to by two parties) and should have the legal requirements specified by contract law in general and should also be in writing to be enforceable.
Real Estate Tax Collections — Property taxes are imposed by counties, municipalities, and school districts, where the millage rate is usually determined by county commissioners, city council members, and school board members, respectively. Our Pittsburgh Real Estate Tax Collection Attorneys at Weisel, Xides & Foerster represents municipalities in legal action to collect on delinquent tax obligations.
Real Estate Owned Property (REO) — REO is a class of property owned by a lender, typically a bank, after an unsuccessful sale at a foreclosure auction. This is common because most of the properties up for sale at these auctions are worth less than the total amount owed to the bank. The minimum bid in most foreclosure auctions equals the outstanding loan amount, the accrued interest and any costs associated with the foreclosure sale including attorneys' fees. After an unsuccessful auction, the bank will go through the process of trying to sell the property on its own. It will remove some of the liens and other expenses on the home and try to resell it to the public, either through future auctions or direct marketing through a Realtor. Our Pittsburgh Real Estate Attorney Robert G. Xides, Jr. work closely with lending institutions and property managers for quick recovery of real estate in mortgage and contractual delinquencies.
Please see our page on Foreclosures and Evictions.
Experience and Knowledge — (412) 471-4128
Contact our Pittsburgh real estate lawyers to explore how Weisel, Xides & Foerster can resolve your legal issue. If you need a real estate attorney in Pittsburgh or anywhere in western Pennsylvania, contact Pittsburgh Real Estate Attorney Robert G. Xides, Jr. today for a free initial consultation. Let us put over 50 years of western Pennsylvania real estate experience to work for you, call us at 412-471-4128 or email us, or fill out our intake form on our Contact Us page.