Accord · Real Estate Mediation

Every property dispute is a relationship that still needs a room to talk in.

Accord is a mediation practice for boundary disagreements, co-ownership fractures, landlord-tenant deadlocks, and the slow erosion of neighbor relations. We don't take sides. We build the room.

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The Process

Nothing hidden. Nothing held back.

Chapter 01

Intake & Conflict Mapping

"Before anything else, we need to understand what's actually broken — not just what the documents say."

The first phase is a private intake conversation — separate calls or meetings with each party, never together. This isn't a deposition. There's no opposing counsel listening. It's a chance to describe the situation in your own words, including the parts that don't appear in any legal filing.

We build a conflict map: the factual dispute, the relational history, the underlying interests each party has but may not have articulated. Many property disputes have a contract problem on the surface and a trust problem underneath it. Both need a room.

Who's in the room

Mediator + one party at a time. Separate sessions, no cross-examination.

What it costs

$350 per party for the intake session. Applied toward full mediation if you proceed.

How long it takes

60–90 minutes per party. Conflict map delivered within 3 business days.

Chapter 02

Joint Session Structure

"The joint session isn't a confrontation. It's the first time both parties are in the same room with someone whose only job is to keep it productive."

Joint sessions follow a structured agenda built from the conflict map. Each party speaks without interruption during an opening statement. The mediator then guides a facilitated dialogue — not a debate — focused on interests rather than positions.

When conversations reach an impasse, we use caucus breaks: private time with each party to explore options without the pressure of the other person in the room. Most disputes require two to three joint sessions. Complex commercial matters may require more.

Attorneys may attend as advisors but do not conduct the session. This distinction matters. When lawyers argue, parties entrench. When parties speak directly — with structure — movement becomes possible.

Who's in the room

Both parties, their advisors if desired, and the mediator. No judge. No transcript.

What it costs

$1,200–$2,400 per session, split equally between parties. Day rates available for complex matters.

How long it takes

3–4 hours per session. Most disputes resolve in 2–3 sessions over 3–6 weeks.

Typical Session Flow

0:00–0:20Opening StatementsUninterrupted

0:20–1:30Facilitated DialogueInterest-based

1:30–2:00Caucus BreaksPrivate, if needed

2:00–3:00Option GenerationBoth parties

3:00–3:30Closing or Next StepsDocumented

Chapter 03

Agreement Drafting

"A mediated agreement holds because both parties wrote it — not because a judge imposed it."

When the parties reach a resolution, we draft a Memorandum of Understanding — a plain-language document that captures exactly what was agreed, by whom, and by when. It is not a legal brief. It is written to be read and understood by the people who signed it.

Both parties then take the MOU to their respective attorneys for review before signing. This step is not optional — we insist on it. Independent legal review protects the agreement and ensures it reflects informed consent, not exhaustion.

Once signed, the agreement can be incorporated into a consent order by the court — making it legally binding without litigation. For most property disputes, this is the last document you'll ever need to file.

Who's in the room

Mediator drafts alone, then reviews with each party separately before final version.

What it costs

$400–$800 for drafting, included in most full-mediation packages. Complex agreements billed separately.

How long it takes

Draft delivered within 5 business days of final session. Review and signing typically within 2 weeks.

What You Receive

Memorandum of Understanding (plain language)

Summary of agreed terms for attorney review

Implementation timeline with named responsibilities

Contingency clauses for common edge cases

Optional: consent order language for court filing

Confidentiality agreement covering all sessions

Who We Help

Six types of property conflict. One approach.

If you recognize your situation in any of these, you're in the right place. If it's something else entirely, call anyway — most property disputes have more in common than they appear.

Co-Ownership Fractures

Two people bought together and now disagree about selling, renovating, renting, or dividing. Often a business partnership dissolved by circumstance rather than intention.

Typical partiesBusiness partners, unmarried couples, friends who co-invested

Timeline2–4 sessions

Boundary Disagreements

A survey says one thing. A fence says another. A neighbor's addition sits twelve inches onto what you believed was yours. The land itself isn't the problem — the relationship is.

Typical partiesAdjacent property owners, homeowners associations, developers

Timeline1–3 sessions

Landlord-Tenant Deadlocks

Security deposits held beyond reason. Repairs promised but deferred. Commercial tenants in rent arrears with legitimate grievances about habitability. Both sides have lawyers. Neither side wants to be in court for two years.

Typical partiesResidential and commercial landlords, tenant coalitions, property managers

Timeline2–5 sessions

Inheritance Disputes

Three siblings. One house. No one agrees on whether to sell, who gets what proceeds, or what to do with the contents. The grief is real. The disagreement is also real. Both deserve space.

Typical partiesBeneficiaries, executors, family members contesting estate property decisions

Timeline3–5 sessions

Neighbor Conflicts

Shared walls. Forgotten easements. A tree whose roots are everyone's problem and nobody's responsibility. These disputes rarely need a judge — they need a structure for the conversation that hasn't happened yet.

Typical partiesResidential neighbors, condo owners, shared-access disputes

Timeline1–2 sessions

Divorce Property Division

The family home is often the most contested and most emotionally loaded asset in a divorce. Mediation can separate the financial decision from the emotional history — and reach a resolution faster than litigation.

Typical partiesDivorcing couples, their attorneys, blended family property arrangements

Timeline3–6 sessions

Resolved Cases

In their own words.

94%Resolution rate

4.2 wksAverage to agreement

8:1Cost vs. litigation

"My brother and I hadn't spoken in four months by the time we called Accord. We'd inherited our mother's house and neither of us wanted it, but neither of us could agree on what to do with it either. Two sessions. We sold the house, split the proceeds fairly, and had dinner together last month for the first time since she passed."

Siblings, inheritance disputePortland, ORResolved in 6 weeks

"Our tenant had been in arrears for eight months and had filed a habitability complaint that was partially legitimate. My attorney said we were looking at 14 months of litigation. Accord got us to a negotiated exit agreement in three sessions. I paid less in mediation fees than I would have paid for one month of legal billing."

Commercial landlord, tenant coalition disputeChicago, ILResolved in 5 weeks

"The boundary dispute had been festering for three years. Survey, counter-survey, a letter from their lawyer, a letter from mine. The mediator did something neither attorney had done — she asked us both what we actually wanted, not what we were entitled to. We ended up agreeing to a shared maintenance arrangement that costs us both less than the legal fees we'd already paid."

Residential neighbors, boundary easementAustin, TXResolved in 3 sessions

Begin Here

Book a Confidential Consultation

The first conversation costs nothing but an hour. We'll listen to the situation, explain whether mediation is the right fit, and outline exactly what the process would look like for your specific dispute.

What to expect

60-minute conversation, no obligation

Completely confidential — no shared notes

Plain-language explanation of next steps

Honest assessment of whether mediation fits

Not ready to book?

Download our Mediation Guide — the same transparent process, in portable form.