Real Estate Attorneys in Memphis, Tennessee
At Crislip Philip, we are trusted Memphis real estate attorneys with decades of experience in a variety of real estate matters. Thoroughness and timeliness matter a great deal to our clients who have important real estate transactions pending. They rely on us to accurately and promptly review and/or prepare documents, as well as communicate with the appropriate lenders, real estate agents, buyers, sellers, tenants or landlords.
Types of Real Estate Matters We Handle
For knowledgeable, efficient guidance in residential and commercial real estate, we offer steadfast legal counsel backed by decades of local experience. We routinely represent homeowners, investors, landlords and institutional clients across Memphis and Shelby County in transactions, title clearances and property litigation. Whether your matter involves an unlawful detainer action in Shelby County General Sessions Court, a quiet title lawsuit or a contested foreclosure proceeding, our team provides the courtroom representation and transactional precision your case requires.
Purchase or sale of residential and commercial property
We draft and review buy-sell agreements, purchase contingencies, disclosure forms, and inspection addenda to protect your interests at every stage. We also help buyers and sellers identify potential red flags, including zoning restrictions, easements, liens and boundary discrepancies, before they create post-closing problems. As active participants in the local real estate community, including the Memphis Investors Group, we understand the distinct needs of commercial buyers, investors and residential landlords managing single-family or multifamily acquisitions.
Property refinancing and document review assistance
We review promissory notes, deeds of trust, closing disclosures and settlement statements to confirm that your rates, amortization schedules and prepayment terms match what you agreed upon. Before a refinance can close, we work to clear existing liens, second mortgages or judgment clouds, drafting and recording all necessary releases in proper form. We also represent commercial property owners negotiating refinancing terms and collateral agreements with local and regional lenders.
Comprehensive real estate closing services and title defense
As approved title agents for First American Title Insurance Company and Mississippi Valley Title Insurance Company, we perform rigorous title examinations and issue title insurance policies to protect buyers and lenders against undiscovered liens or competing ownership claims. We prepare warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, bills of sale, powers of attorney and affidavits of title, and manage escrow and settlement coordination to confirm all taxes, recording fees and transfer instruments reach the Shelby County Register of Deeds on time.
Commercial and residential leasing
We can draft, review, revise and/or negotiate a lease for residential, business or commercial purposes.
Land use and zoning
Clients rely on us as they are planning how to use or develop a tract of land and how to interact as needed with local government agencies.
Residential disclosure form
We ensure that a seller’s disclosure of known defects about the property is correctly completed.
Evictions
On behalf of our property owner clients, we bring lawsuits to recover possession of real property, which sometimes include claims for back rent and damages. We ensure that a written notice to vacate, if required, is prepared and delivered according to law at the commencement of an eviction. After obtaining a judgment for possession from the court, we can file writs of possession to accomplish a tenant’s compliance with an eviction notice.
Foreclosures
We represent mortgage lenders in foreclosures across the state of Tennessee, delivering the following services according to law and in a timely manner:
- Title exams: We establish our clients’ position and authority to foreclose while looking for other liens of record to identify parties that may need to be notified of the foreclosure.
- Substitution of Trustee (SOT): Lawyers at the firm may act as trustees for handling the sale.
- Publication: We arrange and prepare for the publication of a foreclosure in a newspaper of general circulation for three consecutive weeks.
- The sale: We attend and handle the sale, following the client’s specific instructions.
- Trustee’s deed: We document conveyance of title to the property to the successful bidder at the foreclosure sale.
- Tenant notice: We properly notify any tenant occupying the property of the need to vacate.
From the opening title exam to the final tenant notice, we manage every stage of the foreclosure process so our lender clients can move forward with confidence.
Your Guide to Local Courts And Public Registries in Shelby County
Real estate disputes rarely follow a simple path. In Memphis, outcomes often depend on filing in the right venue and following local procedural rules precisely. We regularly advocate for property owners, landlords, investors and lenders across Shelby County’s key legal forums:
- Shelby County General Sessions Court (Civil Division): We handle forcible entry and detainer actions, lease enforcement, unpaid rent recovery, and contractor disputes in strict compliance with Tennessee’s statutory notice requirements.
- Shelby County Chancery Court: We resolve ownership and title conflicts through quiet title actions, tax sale purchase confirmations, partition suits, boundary disputes and emergency injunctions.
- Shelby County Circuit Court: We manage complex real estate litigation, including purchase-and-sale breaches, failure-to-disclose claims and commercial contract disputes.
- Shelby County Register of Deeds and County Tax Offices: We clear title defects, resolve tax sale encumbrances, record transfer instruments and issue title policies as approved agents for First American Title and Mississippi Valley Title.
Talk to a Knowledgeable Memphis Real Estate Lawyer Today
Title claims and property disputes may affect your ownership or use of real property. This may require the filing of a lawsuit if you are unable to amicably resolve the problem. We are prepared to act appropriately in pursuit of your goals.
Knowledgeable Memphis real estate attorneys at Crislip Philip, facilitate smooth transactions for our clients while exercising the necessary due diligence to ensure protection of their rights in all phases of a real estate transaction or dispute resolution. To schedule a consultation, call us at 901-201-5078 or email our Memphis law firm.