John M. Crane

The reason why we decided to use John's services in purchasing our first home was the initial phone conversation. We were calling to ask for his quote and it turned into a 30 minute conversation about the entire home buying experience. That level of detail and taking the time out for potential clien...ts spoke volumes. John and his office were great throughout the entire process and kept us updated every step of the way!

All I can say is working with John is like going to the spa. You end up so relaxed! I called John's office, asked to speak with him, and his assistant put me on hold for about 10 seconds. A male picks up the phone and with a raspy type voice says "this is John Crane, how can I help you?" I t...hen got to explain to him that I was selling a condo on the upper west side that I had not been living in for the last couple of years and was going to buy something else. Without hesitating, John asked if I had ever heard of a 1031 exchange, explained it to me, and had me motivated to purchase not only one, but two additional units so that I could have a primary and rental income. John then explained his process and how he was different, mentioning how he frequently closes for people overseas by Power of Attorney so that I did not have to worry about coming back for the closing. He even made a joke about how I would save more on airfare than he would charge in fees...which turned out to be true! Simply put, John kept me informed at every step of the way. He has an instinct (or maybe it is 20 years experience) in that every email he sent was either important or perfectly timed just to say "the only reason you haven't heard from me is because nothing is going on". My girlfriend (who is a real estate agent) wanted me to use some fancy firm. I called to speak to the attorney and was told that he would call me back. The following day his "associate" called me back and said he would be handling the account. After John explained the 1031, I asked this attorney about the 1031, and he said "you don't qualify because it was your primary residence and you never rented it out." John spent about 20 minutes on the phone with me that first time and I could not even get the fancy "partner" to pick up my call or call me back. I think this is what differentiates John from other law firms. It isn't just business, it is personal and caring. The associate at the other firm made it clear I was a "customer", "his partner was busy" and that they would make time for me when I had a contract that they could make money from. In making my decision, I called John back and he again got on the phone. He also called a 1031 company and had a conference call so that we could explain my situation and the owner of the company could verify that because I didn't live in the condo for the prior couple of years, that it would qualify for a 1031 because it was now viewed as an investment property as John had said. Needless to say, I selected John and his service was far superior to anything I have ever experienced. I knew what my expenses were well before each closing. He gave me his cell number and instructed me to text him. When I explained I would be out of the country a lot of the time, and asked if he would use What's App, he immediately agreed and I had an almost instant line of communication with him. The fancy firm quoted me a price of $3,750 and John's price, including the 1031 was $3,250 per transaction. He delivered more than I could ever have expected, was always professional and did everything ahead of schedule. John is as trustworthy as I could ever expect. His staff is very well trained and personable, but I had John's cell and never really spoke to the staff. They would send me emails and wiring instructions and make sure everything was on track at all times, but when you work with John, you get John and honestly, I just finished an estate proceeding with another firm and I can really see the level of service John delivers when comparing it to another firm. All 3 transactions were unbelievably successfully done and I cannot thank John enough.

I have worked with John Crane as co-counsel on various legal projects for many years, as well as directly referred many of my own clients to him. John's expertise and professionalism are unmatched. He is an absolute pleasure to work with, and all clients whom I have referred to him have been extrem...ely pleased with his services. I cannot recommend John enough for any type of Real Estate and/or Commercial Litigation services in the New York City area. He is an absolute pleasure to work with, and truly an outstanding attorney.

I used John Crane as my attorney when I sold my home. My accountant had told me before I ever contacted John that I could not do a 1031 exchange. Within the first five seconds of speaking with John for the first time, he assured me that my accountant was wrong and set up a conference call with the ...Qualified Intermediary who confirmed the fact that I was eligible to do the 1031 exchange. Although the sale of my home involved evicting a holdover tenant, and a buyer that had financing issues, John handled everything with calm and a sense of humor. He was able to respond to any question I had promptly. John had a way of explaining things that made me stay calm and minimized my stress. My closing was an absolute breeze. John was thoroughly prepared and explained everything to me so that I was aware of how this transaction would impact my 1031 exchange. Naturally, I used John for the purchase of my new Manhattan condo as well. Despite his busy schedule, he was able to promptly review all of the condominium documents, the contract of sale and even prepare a rider modifying certain terms so that they were more favorable to me. When it came time for me to sign the contracts, John was busy that day and in order not to stall the process, went above and beyond in enabling me to sign the contracts and return them with the down payment so that my bank could expedite the loan application. In fact the best way to describe it is to quote what I wrote to John in an e-mail, "I am very impressed with your flexibility in making things work despite your schedule. You don't stop the flow in the process. You find solutions to overcome obstacles together with a relaxed approach that it makes difficult situations seem easy when in reality it is very difficult." I am very happy with every contact I have had with John and his staff. I could not imagine anything they could have done to make either transaction smoother.

There is nothing I can say that will do justice to what John Crane actually does for a client. I was selling my condo in Manhattan and within 30 minutes of my Realtor sending John and I an email introducing each other, John personally called to introduce himself. Within the next hour, John sent out... an email to the buyer's attorney with the Contract of Sale already prepared and attached. The buyer's attorney returned the contracts on a Monday and John had called me the same morning to say he had them. I was leaving for Europe that afternoon for two months and could not get into Manhattan to meet John. I live in New Rochelle and was worried that the deal would die if I did not sign. John stated that he put in a clause that permitted signing by electronic signatures and that he could prepare a Power of Attorney for me to sign as well for the closing, but that he needed the original. I told him that I had a notary in my family and could get the document notarized right away. John explained he had another closing that afternoon in Bronx and that he would come by my home and pick up the original documents. I explained I had to leave by 2 pm and could not wait. This was at 11am. By 12:30, a man in a suit was walking up my driveway. John Crane had took the train to his home, picked up his car and drove from NYC to Westchester in order to pick up my contract and power of attorney. While this might be personal service, over the next two months, John went even further. He was able to get my payoff letter even though I wasn't there to speak to the lender and I was updated by email so that I felt fully informed. After the closing, John emailed to tell me it was over and I explained that I would be returning in two weeks. John offered to wire the money into my bank account and within a few hours, I had all of the money I had been expecting without any of the stress of attending a closing. His post closing work was even more superb. I received a binder with copies of all documents, organized and tabbed so that the entire closing was perfectly understandable even though I was not there. I have recommended two family members to John and while there deals are still ongoing, they are equally impressed. I have used litigation attorneys, estate attorneys, corporate attorneys, and real estate attorneys. John really delivers customer service at a level that surpasses your wildest expectations. Add to that the fact that he has a vast amount of NYC real estate experience and you have one tremendous attorney!