making your deal happen

Individuals deciding whether to build a new home or renovate an existing property in the Washington, DC metropolitan area frequently call upon Lerch Early for advice.

Either process requires the homebuyer to purchase the land, work with a design professional, work with a homebuilder, and finance the purchase.  Whether you choose a design-build project with a homebuilder who already controls the residential lot, or contract with the architect and the homebuilder separately, there are a series of issues that need to be addressed.  Lerch Early attorneys assist homebuyers in evaluating land use restrictions that may impact what type of home, if any, can be built on the property, and assist in the preparation and negotiation of the purchase, design and construction contracts.  We are not only knowledgeable about the legal issues, but we approach these transactions in a practical fashion, whether we are tailoring standard industry form documents to the particular transaction or negotiating contract documents from scratch.

In addition to representing the homebuyers, we also provide advice to homebuilders and lenders in negotiating with purchasers/borrowers. Knowing the interests of all parties to these types of transactions allows us to expedite disputes if and when they arise.

Lerch Early attorneys are uniquely situated to advise our clients about framing their claims.  When appropriate, we assist in negotiating a settlement or, where circumstances warrant, we represent our clients in mediation, arbitration, or litigation to resolve the dispute.