San Antonio Real Estate Attorney
Protecting your side of the transaction. Contract review, title issues, boundary disputes, and real estate litigation across Bexar County.
Schedule a ConsultationA real estate attorney reviews the contract before you are bound to it, clears title defects, and litigates when a deal or a boundary goes wrong. In Texas, title companies handle closings, but they represent the transaction, not you. AHD Law represents your side of it.
Why a Title Company is not your lawyer
In Texas, the title company is a neutral party to the transaction. They handle the closing, issue the title policy, and disburse funds. They do not represent the buyer or the seller. They represent the transaction itself.
That means contract terms, deadlines, contingency rights, and risk allocation go unreviewed unless someone is representing you. The title company will close the deal exactly as written, even if the terms work against you. They will not flag a one sided clause or a missed contingency deadline.
An attorney works for you. We read the contract before you sign it, explain what you are agreeing to, and negotiate changes that protect your position. The cost of a review is small compared to the cost of a problem discovered after closing.
We represent your side of the transaction.
Residential transactions
The residential contract looks simple. The consequences of signing it without review are not.
Contract Review Before the Option Period Expires
We read every clause, deadline, and contingency before you are locked in. The option period is short and most problems are cheapest to fix during it.
Understanding the TREC Contract
The Texas Real Estate Commission contract is the standard form, but its default terms are not always in your favor. We explain what you are agreeing to and negotiate changes where it matters.
Financing and Appraisal Contingencies
If the appraisal comes in low or financing falls through, your contingency clauses determine whether you get your earnest money back or are stuck. We make sure those clauses protect you.
Survey Review
A survey can reveal encroachments, setback violations, and easements that affect what you can do with the property. We review it before closing, not after.
Closing Document Review
The closing packet can run 50 pages or more. We review the settlement statement, deed, and loan documents to make sure the numbers match and the conveyance is correct.
Commercial Transactions and leases
Commercial deals have no standard form. Every term is negotiated. That is where most money is made or lost.
Purchase Agreements
Commercial contracts are not standard forms. They are negotiated from scratch and every term is negotiable. We draft and review them to protect your position.
Due Diligence Periods
Commercial due diligence is deeper than residential. Environmental, zoning, title, lease, and physical condition all need review before the period expires. We manage that timeline.
Commercial Lease Negotiation and Review
Leases are where most commercial money is made or lost over time. We negotiate rent escalations, maintenance obligations, renewal options, and exit clauses.
1031 Exchanges
Tax deferred exchanges have strict timelines and identification rules. A missed deadline voids the deferral. We coordinate with your CPA and the qualified intermediary.
Entity Structuring for Property Ownership
How you hold title affects liability, taxes, and transferability. We advise on LLCs, partnerships, and holding structures that fit your goals.
Title Problems and how they get cleared
A clean title is the foundation of any real estate transaction. Here is what happens when it is not.
Liens
Unpaid contractor liens, tax liens, or judgment liens can attach to the property and block a clean sale. We negotiate releases or pursue lien removal.
Clouds on Title
Recording errors, missing signatures, or old deeds can create a cloud that title insurance may not cover. We clear them through correction deeds or quiet title.
Heirship Issues
When a property owner dies without a will, title passes through heirship but the chain is not always clear. We file heirship proceedings to establish ownership.
Quiet Title Actions
When competing claims exist, a quiet title lawsuit asks the court to declare your rights and remove all others. It is the definitive fix for title disputes.
Title Insurance Claim Disputes
When a title insurer declines to cover a defect, you may need legal help to enforce the policy. We review the policy, the defect, and fight the denial.
Boundary, Easement and access disputes
San Antonio has many older platted lots where survey lines conflict, fences sit in the wrong place, and access is unclear. These are among the most common disputes we handle.
Survey Conflicts
Two surveys showing different lines is common on older San Antonio lots. We reconcile the conflict through agreement or litigation.
Prescriptive Easements
When someone has used a path or driveway across your land for years, they may claim a prescriptive easement. We defend against or establish these claims.
Access and Right of Way Disputes
Landlocked property or disputed access roads can make land unusable. We negotiate easements or pursue legal access.
Encroachments and Fence Line Disputes
A neighbour's fence, shed, or driveway that crosses the line is one of the most common San Antonio disputes. We resolve it through boundary agreements or removal.
When a Deal goes wrong
Not every transaction closes cleanly. When it falls apart, the contract terms determine what happens next.
Earnest Money Disputes
When a deal falls apart, both sides often claim the earnest money. The contract terms and who breached determine who gets it. We pursue or defend earnest money claims.
Specific Performance
When a seller refuses to close, the buyer can sue to force the sale. When a buyer walks, the seller can sue for the purchase price. Specific performance is a powerful remedy.
Failure to Disclose and Seller Disclosure Claims
If a seller hid a defect, you can pursue fraud and DTPA claims. These carry actual damages, additional damages up to three times the amount, and attorney fees.
Breach of Contract Remedies
When a party fails to perform, remedies include damages, rescission, and in some cases attorney fees. We evaluate the strongest path and pursue it.
HOA and Deed restriction disputes
HOAs have significant power over your property. When they overreach, you need someone who knows the restrictions as well as they do.
Enforcement Actions
HOAs can fine, lien, and foreclose. We defend homeowners against overreach and help HOAs enforce valid restrictions.
Architectural Control Disputes
Approval requirements for fences, paint, additions, and structures are a frequent source of conflict. We review the deed restrictions and fight arbitrary denials.
Assessment and Lien Disputes
When assessments are disputed, improperly calculated, or liens are filed incorrectly, we challenge them and protect the property from foreclosure.
Fees and How this is billed
Real estate work falls into two categories, and they are billed differently.
Flat Fee
Contract review, closing representation, and lease review are typically flat fee. You know the cost before we start. For a standard residential closing, the fee is modest compared to the transaction size. Commercial work depends on complexity.
Hourly
Litigation, quiet title actions, boundary disputes, and contested matters are billed hourly with a retainer. The scope depends on how the other side responds. We give you a realistic estimate up front and keep you informed as the matter progresses.
The consultation is free. We will tell you which fee structure applies to your matter and give you an honest estimate before you commit.
Frequently Asked questions
Schedule a consultation
Whether you are buying, selling, or disputing property, the right time to call is before the problem grows. Tell us what is going on and we will help you figure out the next step.
Free Consultation
We understand how stressful legal matters can be, which is why we offer a FREE Consultation.
Don't wait another day. Call us at 210-968-0994 or fill out our contact form below today so that you can put AHD Law's expertise to work for you!