Practice Area
Real Estate
Legal guidance for Oregon real estate transactions and disputes — from purchase agreements and leases to boundary line litigation and adverse possession actions.
Overview
Protecting Your Property Rights in Oregon
Real estate transactions are among the largest financial decisions individuals and businesses make. A single poorly worded clause in a purchase agreement, a misunderstood easement, or an unresolved boundary dispute can cost tens of thousands of dollars — or more. Getting experienced legal review before you sign is far less expensive than fixing problems after closing.
Margaret L. Harmon handles both transactional real estate work — drafting and reviewing purchase agreements, leases, easements, and well water agreements — and real estate litigation, including adverse possession actions and boundary line disputes in Oregon courts.
Whether you are buying, selling, leasing, or facing a property dispute with a neighbor or adjacent landowner, Margaret provides straightforward legal counsel grounded in over three decades of Oregon real estate experience. All consultations are fee-based and by appointment only.
Areas We Handle
Schedule a Consultation
Transaction or Dispute?
We handle both. All consultations are fee-based and by appointment only. Bring your documents.
Schedule a Consultation (503) 842-7731How We Can Help
Real Estate Services
Purchase & Sale Agreements
Before you sign, Margaret reviews your purchase and sale agreement to identify provisions that shift risk unfairly, missing contingencies that could protect you, and terms ambiguous enough to cause disputes at closing or after.
Commercial & Residential Leases
Whether you are a landlord drafting a commercial lease or a tenant reviewing a residential agreement, Margaret ensures the terms are clear, enforceable, and protect your position for the full term of the lease.
Easements & Access Agreements
Easements define who can use your land and how. Margaret drafts and reviews access easements, utility easements, and roadway maintenance agreements — ensuring the terms are recorded correctly and will hold up if disputed later.
Adverse Possession Actions
Adverse possession allows a person to claim legal title to land they have openly and continuously occupied for a statutory period under Oregon law. These cases are fact-intensive and require careful documentation, legal analysis, and courtroom experience to prove or defend.
Boundary Line Disputes
Boundary disputes with neighbors can escalate quickly when surveys conflict or structures encroach on adjacent property. Margaret brings both a thorough understanding of Oregon property law and trial experience to boundary line litigation when negotiation fails.
Well Water & Shared Infrastructure
Shared well agreements govern the rights and responsibilities of multiple property owners using the same water source. Without a clear, recorded agreement, disputes over maintenance costs and water rights can become lengthy and expensive to resolve.
What to Expect
How the Process Works
Document Review
We review your purchase agreement, deed, title report, survey, and any existing easements or covenants — identifying issues before they become costly problems at closing or in court.
Legal Analysis
We analyze how Oregon property law applies to your specific situation — whether that means reviewing title chain for a transaction or assessing the strength of a boundary or adverse possession claim.
Drafting or Demand
For transactions, we draft or revise documents to reflect your interests. For disputes, we send a formal demand or initiate litigation — always with a clear strategy and realistic expectations.
Closing or Resolution
We see the matter through — whether that means a clean closing with properly recorded documents or a negotiated settlement and court order that resolves the dispute definitively.
Common Questions
Real Estate FAQ
Do I need a lawyer to buy or sell real estate in Oregon?
Oregon does not require an attorney for real estate closings. However, having an attorney review your purchase and sale agreement — before you sign — can identify significant risks that a real estate agent is not licensed to advise you on. The cost of review is far less than fixing a bad deal after closing.
What is adverse possession?
Adverse possession allows a person to claim legal ownership of land they have openly, continuously, and exclusively occupied for a statutory period under Oregon law — generally 10 years. These cases are fact-intensive and require careful legal analysis and documentation of the occupation history.
What should I bring to a real estate consultation?
Bring the purchase agreement, deed, survey, title report, any existing easements or CC&Rs, and any written communications related to the dispute or transaction. For boundary or adverse possession matters, bring photographs, tax records, and any evidence of historical land use. The more complete the picture, the more useful the consultation.
Why does a well water agreement matter?
A shared well agreement governs the rights and responsibilities of multiple property owners drawing from the same water source. Without a clear, properly recorded agreement, disputes over maintenance costs, water allocation, and access can become lengthy and expensive. Margaret drafts agreements that prevent these disputes before they start.
Get In Touch
Protect Your Property
Investment
Whether you are reviewing a purchase agreement before closing or navigating a boundary dispute with a neighbor, experienced legal counsel protects your investment. Schedule a fee-based consultation with Margaret L. Harmon.
32+
Years Experience
Both
Transactions & Litigation
OR
State Licensed
Rural
Property Experience