dashpanache
New Member
Myself and my brother sold our equally shared property to a county in Florida. I live in Fl. and my brother lives in N.Y.and we do not communicate. We each have respective expenses to be distributed from the net profit of the sale. My lawyer ( in Fl. ) called me to sign papers in his office the day before the final closing , which I did. After I signed the papers he told me that my brother's lawyer contacted him the day before to say they were going to recalculate numbers....and my lawyer told me "do not worry..we will have it next Wednesday and I will call you". He also told me on this day that he ( my lawyer ) would be charging me about $2000.00 for his sevices. So I left his office disappointed but trusting my lawyer. I never heard from my lawyer the following Wednesday. I waited until the next day, Thursday and I took the liberty to call his office. His only secretary answered. She said the lawyer has been in and out of the office all day and they have had no time to speak. The secretary said she did not know anything but would have the lawyer call on Friday. On Friday I received no calls. On Monday, again I waited...nothing. On Tuesday, I went to his office. While in the lobby speaking to the secretary through her opened window about something else, the lawyer coincidently was escorting another person from his office. I did not have a chance to say a word when he put on a display...turning red and pushing his hands in a downward position saying, " Don't worry! I have your money in my account! Maybe I can see to give you $50,000.00 and I will keep back
$30,000.00 to work with. I will call you tomorrow!" That was shocking to me and I was worried...something did not seem right. Again, the next day I did not receive any calls. Now it has been over 2 weeks since this final closing which was funded...the net was approximately $153,000.00 which I was suppose to receive between 80,000.00 and 83,000.00..depending on my lawyers fees. I have not had any paper work shown or given to me. I am not sure if my own lawyer withheld information or declined an offer without my knowledge. I don't understand why the day before the closing he would tell me that he was charging me something in the neighborhood of a $2000.00 figure and 2 weeks later he said he might be able to give me part of my money and keep $30,000.00 for him to work with. There is nothing in this settlement that is worth going to court for and certainly not in that amount of money. I have paid all the property taxes and have clear recepits totaling much more than my brother. My bother has been in N.Y. for the past 3 years while I have been in Fl. maintaining the property, but never living on it. I live in a totally different county from the sold property...so this is not even an issue. Since my brother and I haven't communicated I don't know if it's my brother and his lawyer causing this hold up - or - my own lawyer! Please advise. Thanks.
$30,000.00 to work with. I will call you tomorrow!" That was shocking to me and I was worried...something did not seem right. Again, the next day I did not receive any calls. Now it has been over 2 weeks since this final closing which was funded...the net was approximately $153,000.00 which I was suppose to receive between 80,000.00 and 83,000.00..depending on my lawyers fees. I have not had any paper work shown or given to me. I am not sure if my own lawyer withheld information or declined an offer without my knowledge. I don't understand why the day before the closing he would tell me that he was charging me something in the neighborhood of a $2000.00 figure and 2 weeks later he said he might be able to give me part of my money and keep $30,000.00 for him to work with. There is nothing in this settlement that is worth going to court for and certainly not in that amount of money. I have paid all the property taxes and have clear recepits totaling much more than my brother. My bother has been in N.Y. for the past 3 years while I have been in Fl. maintaining the property, but never living on it. I live in a totally different county from the sold property...so this is not even an issue. Since my brother and I haven't communicated I don't know if it's my brother and his lawyer causing this hold up - or - my own lawyer! Please advise. Thanks.
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