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0 pointsdmazzoni2y ago0 comments

This is a regional thing. In many west coast states, escrow companies are the norm and nobody hires a lawyer. In many east coast states, both sides hire a real estate lawyer (and you'd be crazy not to).

Most people who've only lived in one region don't realize that the other half of the country does real estate transactions completely differently.

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KirillPanov2y ago

In Washington State escrow agents actually are attorneys -- but their practice is limited to one very specific area of law: real estate purchase contracts.

https://www.wsba.org/for-legal-professionals/join-the-legal-...

Because their practice area is so limited they don't have to go to law school, and their "bar" exam is much easier.

The flip side of this is that unlimited practice attorneys (i.e. "real lawyers") are automatically allowed to do everything that real estate agents and escrow agents are allowed to do.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

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KirillPanov2y ago

In Washington State escrow agents actually are attorneys -- but their practice is limited to one very specific area of law: real estate purchase contracts.

https://www.wsba.org/for-legal-professionals/join-the-legal-...

Because their practice area is so limited they don't have to go to law school, and their "bar" exam is much easier.

The flip side of this is that unlimited practice attorneys (i.e. "real lawyers") are automatically allowed to do everything that real estate agents and escrow agents are allowed to do.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse