ATLANTA'S GROWING ATTRACTION AS CORPORATE RELOCATION SITE PRESENTS OPPORTUNITY FOR REGIONAL LAW FIRM

September 18, 2007 (PRLEAP.COM) Business News
ATLANTA, Ga., Sept. 18, 2007 - Morris|Hardwick|Schneider, one of the largest law firms in the country specializing in real estate closings, is welcoming Atlanta's newest residents with a stress-free approach to a growing problem: helping executives who are relocating to Atlanta over the legal hurdles of selling their old home and buying a new one here - a process that is complicated by differences in real estate closing procedures among states.

"Relocation is stressful enough for both the company and its executives without dealing with the differences between states of owning real estate. Many people are struggling with this process, especially when the goal is to make things happen quickly - as is often the case in corporate relocations," said Nat Hardwick, a managing partner of Morris|Hardwick|Schneider.

"In 2007, Atlanta ranked among the nation's top 50 hottest markets for corporate expansion by Expansion Management magazine. Many, many corporate executives are relocating to our city. Realizing this, our firm saw an opportunity to differentiate ourselves in this area. Our size works in our favor," he added. 'Because we have 50 offices serving eight states that are staffed by attorneys specializing in real estate closings, we are able to quickly and smoothly facilitate real estate closings for relocating executives - so they can spend more time getting the company's new Atlanta office up and running, and less time worrying about whether their new home purchase is going to close on time."

The business of relocation is complicated by the fact that there are no national standards for the process of real estate closing, Hardwick said. In some states, for example, it is common for each of the parties participating in the closing on a property - attorneys, title companies, agents, etc. - to negotiate and speak separately to each other at various times. Whereas in Georgia, all parties must be present at the same table at the same time to conduct a proper closing transaction.

"We use Morris|Hardwick|Schneider exclusively for all our relocations to Atlanta," said Gail Brown, CRP, Director of Operations for Total Relocation Solutions, located in North Marshfield, Massachusetts. "They are unbelievably responsive and totally focused on customer service - any title or equity issues are taken care of immediately - I never have to worry about the circumstances of a case because they are so good."

To ensure a smooth transition for its relocation clients, Morris|Hardwick|Schneider has created a central point of contact for all relocation closings. This single source coordinates the assignment of attorneys who practice in each state, and who annually handle a total of more than 36,000 real estate closings.

Lisa Nelson, the Director of Vendor Relations for Fidelity Residential Solutions in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, said, "We work with several of the Morris|Hardwick|Schneider offices across the United States, and have found the same personal service and proactive attention to detail in every one - they know what we need and call us before we call them, so we can let our customers know what is happening. If all our vendors were like Morris|Hardwick|Schneider, I wouldn't have a job."

A typical example of Morris|Hardwick|Schneider's expertise is helping one of its relocation company clients move a corporate executive to Atlanta from an area of the country experiencing a turbulent real estate market where the executive's company had agreed to purchase his home. Previously, with housing demand so strong, the subsequent sale of an executive's home was a simple matter, but with today's average time-on-market in some areas of the country increasing dramatically, accompanied by a deflation of prices, there is a need for expediency. With the help of Morris|Hardwick|Schneider, these transitions are smooth and transparent for the executive, and with the burden of details handled on the Atlanta end, the company is able to quickly sell the executive's house.

Morris|Hardwick|Schneider has also invested in the development of best practices, with the adoption of more efficient technology and time-saving processes, practiced by the finest attorneys and professional staff who are intimately familiar with the detailed requirements of each state and understand the perspective of the agencies involved in each of the local markets. This approach all but guarantees the timely and stress-free transition of the individuals and their families, which is in everyone's best interest, and ultimately everyone's goal in relocation.

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Morris|Hardwick|Schneider, a Georgia limited liability company, is one of the largest real estate closings law firm in the United States, with a combined total 50 offices serving eight states and additional locations opening soon. Morris|Hardwick|Schneider and LandCastle Title, a separate title and equity company, are continually expanding to better service clients in Atlanta and across the United States. More information about both companies is available online at www.closingsource.net.