Real Estate Lawyer in Rockville, Maryland
Buying, selling, leasing or investing in property is often the largest transaction of a family's life. Attorney Jane Ho reviews the documents, explains them in Mandarin or English, and protects your interests from contract to closing. She is also a licensed Maryland real estate broker, so she understands transactions from both the legal and the practical side.
Real Estate Matters
Buying and selling a home
Contract review and negotiation, contingencies, inspection and appraisal issues, and review of closing documents for buyers and sellers in Maryland, DC and Virginia.
Investment and rental property
Purchases through an LLC, financing documents, and the legal side of owning and managing rental property.
Landlord and tenant
Residential and commercial leases, security deposits, notices to vacate, evictions and rent disputes, representing landlords or tenants in Maryland, DC and Virginia.
Commercial leases and business premises
Review and negotiation of office, retail and restaurant leases, personal guarantees, and renewal and assignment terms.
Deeds and title transfers
Adding or removing a family member from title, transfers to a trust or an LLC, and life-estate or gift deeds, prepared and recorded correctly.
Overseas and non-resident owners
The legal steps when the buyer or seller lives abroad, including powers of attorney, signing documents overseas, and the tax-withholding rules that apply to sales by foreign owners (FIRPTA).
Disputes
Contract and deposit disputes, disclosure claims, boundary and easement issues, and condominium or HOA matters, resolved by negotiation where possible and in court where necessary.
Initial consultations are by appointment, at the office or on Zoom, and are scheduled by our legal assistant. A consultation fee applies and is credited toward your legal fee if the office takes your case.
An attorney who is also a licensed broker
Attorney Ho holds a Maryland real estate broker's license in addition to her law license. She knows how agents, lenders, title companies and settlement deadlines work in practice, and can spot problems in a contract or settlement statement before they cost you money.
Need a real estate agent? Haven Realty, Inc.
Attorney Ho is also the broker and president of Haven Realty, Inc., a Rockville brokerage that represents buyers and sellers across Montgomery County and the Washington, DC area, in English and Mandarin.
Haven Realty, Inc. is a separate business from the Law Offices of Jane Ho. Its real estate brokerage services are not legal services, and the protections of an attorney–client relationship, including attorney–client confidentiality, do not apply to brokerage services. Legal representation is provided only through a separate written engagement with the law office.
Common Questions
Do I need a lawyer to buy or sell a home?
Maryland, DC and Virginia do not require it, and settlements are usually handled by title companies. But the title company does not represent you. An attorney who reviews the contract before you sign, and the settlement documents before closing, works only for you.
Can you review a contract I have already signed?
Yes. Many contracts still have contingency periods during which problems can be addressed. Send us the contract as soon as possible so your deadlines can be reviewed.
I live overseas. Can I buy or sell property here?
Yes. We prepare the powers of attorney, arrange for documents to be signed and notarized abroad where needed, and explain the tax-withholding rules that apply to sales by foreign owners.
Is there a fee for the consultation?
Yes. Our legal assistant will tell you the current consultation fee when scheduling your appointment, at the office or on Zoom. If the office takes your case, the fee is credited toward your legal fee.