Real Estate Attorney in Charleston, WV

Real Estate Law and Litigation in Charleston, WV

Ray, Winton & Kelley provides real estate legal services in Charleston and throughout West Virginia for individuals, families, property owners, landlords, tenants, and businesses. Whether you are buying or selling property, reviewing a contract, dealing with a title problem, or facing a property dispute, our attorneys can help you understand your rights and determine the appropriate next steps.

Real estate matters can become complicated quickly. A title issue can delay a closing, unclear contract language can create unexpected obligations, and disagreements involving boundaries, leases, easements, or ownership can lead to costly disputes. Our team helps clients address these issues with practical legal guidance focused on protecting their property interests and resolving problems efficiently.

We assist with matters involving residential and commercial transactions, title and ownership issues, landlord-tenant disputes, boundary and easement conflicts, quiet title actions, zoning and land-use concerns, and real estate litigation.

When You're Buying or Selling Property

Real estate closings involve more than just a handshake and a signature. There’s a stack of paperwork that transfers legal ownership, outlines your rights, and defines what happens if something goes wrong. Most people only see this once or twice in their life—and unfortunately, that’s when costly mistakes tend to happen.

We step in to:

Review contracts before you sign. We’ll make sure everything is clear and fair, and flag terms that could come back to bite you.
Ensure clean title. We check for any liens, easements, or ownership issues that could cloud the title—and help fix them before they delay or derail your closing.
Coordinate a smooth closing. If we represent you at closing, we’ll walk you through each document and answer your questions in plain English.

We also help clients navigate complicated sales like for-sale-by-owner (FSBO) deals, buying property through inheritance, or selling land with unclear boundaries.

How a Real Estate Attorney in Charleston, WV Can Help

A real estate attorney can help identify legal issues before they delay a transaction or become a larger dispute. At Ray, Winton & Kelley, we assist Charleston-area clients with both transactional matters and real estate litigation, allowing us to address problems at different stages of property ownership.

Our real estate attorneys can assist with:

Purchase and sale agreements: Reviewing and drafting contracts and identifying terms that may create unnecessary risk.

Title and ownership issues:

Addressing liens, easements, competing ownership claims, and other matters that may affect clear title.

Closings and property transfers:

Helping clients understand transaction documents and resolve legal issues that arise before closing.

Boundary and property disputes:

Addressing disagreements involving property lines, encroachments, easements, adverse possession, and ownership.

Landlord-tenant matters:
Advising on leases, unpaid rent, property conditions, security deposits, and eviction-related disputes.

Commercial real estate:

Assisting businesses, landlords, investors, and property owners with acquisitions, leases, zoning matters, and disputes.

Real estate litigation:

Representing clients when negotiations do not resolve a property-related conflict and court action becomes necessary.

Because real estate problems often involve contracts, property records, financial interests, and long-term ownership rights, getting legal guidance early can help prevent a manageable issue from becoming a larger and more expensive dispute.

When You’re Renting—As a Landlord or a Tenant

Renting property seems straightforward—until something goes wrong. Whether you're leasing out a unit or living in one, the lease agreement is your rulebook. If it’s unclear or unenforceable, both sides are vulnerable.

We help landlords:

Draft strong lease agreements that are clear and enforceable
Understand their legal obligations under state and local law
Handle problem tenants, including those behind on rent or violating terms
Navigate the eviction process legally and efficiently

We help tenants:

Fight unfair or unlawful evictions
Respond when a landlord fails to provide necessary repairs
Review lease agreements before signing to understand the fine print
Stand up for their rights when security deposits are withheld unfairly

Landlord-tenant law in West Virginia can be tricky. We help both sides resolve issues before they become bigger—and step in when legal action is necessary.

When Property Lines, Neighbors, or Family Get Involved

Property issues get even more complicated when people you know are involved. Maybe a neighbor put up a fence on your land. Maybe your siblings can’t agree on what to do with inherited property. Or maybe a verbal agreement with a friend about land use is now causing confusion.

We’ve helped clients:

Resolve boundary disputes through surveys, negotiation, and—if needed—litigation
Clarify ownership rights in cases where the title is unclear or split between multiple parties
Settle disagreements over inherited property between family members
Draft or challenge easements and informal use agreements
File or defend quiet title actions to clear up long-standing ownership questions

These situations are sensitive and often emotional. We provide practical legal options and work to resolve things with as little friction—and as much clarity—as possible.

When You Own Commercial Property or Run a Business

Commercial real estate brings higher stakes, longer contracts, and more complex issues. Whether you’re buying a retail building, leasing office space, or dealing with a tenant dispute, the decisions you make now can affect your bottom line for years.

We assist with:

Drafting and negotiating commercial leases with terms that protect your investment
Advising on purchase and sale agreements for business property
Resolving disputes over lease enforcement, maintenance responsibilities, or early termination
Handling zoning and land use issues that may impact your ability to operate
Dealing with code violations, environmental concerns, or permitting delays

Because we’ve worked with business owners, landlords, and developers alike, we know how to anticipate problems and keep deals moving forward.

When Should I Contact a Real Estate Attorney in Charleston, WV?

Consider speaking with a real estate attorney when a property matter involves complicated contract terms, title or ownership questions, boundary or easement disputes, landlord-tenant issues, commercial property, inherited real estate, or another issue that could affect your legal or financial interests. RWK handles real estate matters involving sales, leasing, financing, title assurance, boundaries, easements, landlord-tenant issues, and related litigation.

What Types of Property Disputes Can a Real Estate Lawyer Handle?

Real estate lawyers may assist with disputes involving property boundaries, easements, ownership or title issues, leases, landlord-tenant conflicts, construction-related matters, and other disputes involving real property. RWK specifically handles boundary disputes, easements, landlord-tenant issues, construction matters, and title-related work as part of its real estate practice.

Do I Need a Real Estate Attorney When Buying or Selling Property?

Whether you should involve an attorney depends on the transaction and the legal issues involved. An attorney can help review contracts, address title or ownership concerns, explain legal obligations, and assist when a transaction involves disputes, unusual terms, inherited property, commercial real estate, or other complications. RWK's real estate practice includes sales, financing, contract negotiations, and title assurance.

Does RWK Handle Both Residential and Commercial Real Estate Matters?

Yes. RWK's real estate practice covers a range of property matters, including sales, leasing, financing, contract negotiations, title assurance, landlord-tenant relations, and real estate litigation. The firm also handles issues involving boundaries, easements, construction, and other property disputes.

Why RWK Is the Right Fit

At Ray, Winton & Kelley, we’ve built a reputation on practical, thoughtful legal work that puts our clients’ needs first. We don’t overcomplicate things or bury you in jargon. Instead, we focus on helping you understand your situation, make informed decisions, and take the right steps to protect yourself, your family, or your business.

With decades of experience serving Charleston and communities across West Virginia, we bring both deep legal knowledge and a grounded, real-world perspective to every case. Whether you're planning ahead, facing a dispute, or simply looking for clarity, you can count on our team to provide steady guidance and dependable representation.

If you are looking for a real estate lawyer in Charleston, WV, Ray, Winton & Kelley can assist with transactions, ownership issues, property disputes, leases, and real estate litigation.

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FAMILY LAW, DIVORCE & DOMESTIC RELATIONS

Family relationships are complex, and the finances associated with those relationships are often intricate. We have the ability to understand the complexity of those relationships and provide our clients with effective counsel, especially when relationships end in divorce. We handle divorce cases at all income levels and have had particular success with high net-worth cases.

CORPORATE LAW & LITIGATION

Starting and operating a business requires many important decisions. We can help guide you through the process and protect your interests. The issues we handle include business incorporation, breach-of-contract claims, construction law, contractor’s liens, collection of debts, judgment enforcement, non-compete agreements, fraud, partnership disputes, operating agreements, employment matters, and business purchases and sales.

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GENERAL CIVIL LAW & LITIGATION

General civil litigation involves seeking compensatory damages for some actual or perceived wrong. However, remedies in civil matters can also include specific performance of a contractual agreement, injunctive or other equitable relief.

REAL ESTATE LAW & LITIGATION

We handle a variety of real estate legal issues, including sales, leasing, financing, contract negotiations, title assurance, landlord-tenant relations and taxes. When litigation is necessary, we represent clients in disputes over construction, mechanic’s liens, easements, boundaries, condemnation and landlord-tenant issues.

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LAWYER DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS

Mark Kelley has represented numerous West Virginia attorneys in all stages of the disciplinary process. If you need representation in this area or just want a consultation to help you deal with a complaint, the firm is ready to assist you in the process.

EMPLOYMENT

Employment law encompasses thousands of federal and state statutes, administrative regulations and judicial decisions that cover a wide spectrum of the employer/employee relationship. We handle issues for employees or employers in such areas as collective bargaining, employment discrimination, unemployment compensation, pensions, workplace safety and workers’ compensation.

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MEDIATION

The firm offers mediation services for business disputes, estate disputes and domestic relations cases. Mark and Sam have taken basic and advanced mediation courses through the West Virginia State Bar. Mark has mediated numerous cases in the above fields and is available to assist litigants and their attorneys in trying to resolve these often-complicated and contentious matters. Sam generally limits his mediation practice to family law disputes. It greatly enhances the chances of a successful mediation if your mediator has extensive experience dealing with the issues to be mediated.

Testimonials

Elizabeth Smith

Ray, Winton, & Kelley Law Firm team providing compassionate legal services in estate planning, family law, and more.

Mr. Kelley is extremely responsive and knowledgeable when it comes to family law. He and his staff are have done an excellent job handling child custody issues quickly and effectively, highly recommend.

David Log

A very old and established law firm. Great for estate management and general law.

Leslie Richmond

Franki Parsons has been a life saver. Franki goes above and beyond to help you. So easy to talk to and you know she cares. Can't recommend enough.