Lawyers sometimes feel that they are cleaning up a mess that the realtor started with their paperwork, and that the realtor gets paid too much.

The realtor thinks the lawyers don't do any work themselves, but have their assistant do it all and then they swoop in on closing day like a Monday morning quarterback.

But, in fact, BOTH the realtor and lawyer are highly important when it comes to a property transaction. And they need to work together - as well as work with other professionals (mortgage lenders, appraisers, home inspectors, surveyors etc) - to make the process as stress-free as it can be for home buyers and sellers.

Lunching with a Lawyer

I was recently contacted by lawyer Karolyn Godfrey; she said she's concentrating on her real estate practice and asked me to lunch to discuss what she could offer realtors to help achieve her goals.

At lunch we both acknowledged our sterotypical views of each other's profession. (It's never caused ill feelings - more like an in-law; you complain about' em, but deep down you know they're OK.)

We discussed our common goals of making sure our clients are dealt with professionally, courteously and with the service that they deserve for their fees. To that end, I invited her to speak at one of our office meetings; many agents in our office were quite impressed with her and what she was discussing.

So, maybe there is hope after all for harmony between realtors and lawyers. (Now, to get to work on the whole Middle East thing!

Have you ever felt like your realtor and your lawyer on a house transaction weren't exactly seeing eye-to-eye? Let us know; leave your comments below.

Joel Ives is the owner/manager of Century 21 Colonial Realty Inc. in Charlottetown, PEI.