A lawyer is a person who can give legal advice, draft contracts, help with lawsuits, anything related to the law. Many people don’t consult with a lawyer when they should. Take advantages of the services of a lawyer, depending on your situation. When buying property, writing a will or trying to untangle your taxes, a lawyer can be a great help.
Leaving an Abusive Home: How to Protect Your Assets
Leaving an abusive home: How to protect your assets when you fear for your safety but rely on the ownership interest for your financial future. Q: I pay half the mortgage on the home that I own with my boyfriend. I live there with him and our son. The title of the house is in [...]
What Can You Do About a Nightmare Condo Owner?
What can you do about a nightmare condo owner who refuses to follow condo rules? Start with a review of board rules, then call a lawyer. Q: Our condo building has had a problem with one particular owner ever since he purchased his unit in the building and moved in. Initially he didn’t get permission [...]
When the Seller Won’t Leave Your New Home, What Can You Do?
What can you do when the seller won’t leave the new home that you’ve already closed on? First, take a look at the closing documents, then call your lawyer. Q: We just closed on a house but the sellers have not vacated the property on our agreed terms. They were supposed to be completely out [...]
Appraisal Value Prevents Mortgage Financing
If you don't receive mortgage financing under the current terms of a contract, what can you do? Should you renegotiate or back out of the contract? The terms of your real estate contract may include provisions that will allow you different options.
Avoid Capital Gains Or Gift Tax On Real Estate Investment
What's the best way to pass a second home on to heirs? If you don't want to pay capital gains tax on a sale or a gift tax you should give your heirs an ownership share of the home gradually. If you give an amount of the real estate investment equal to the amount that's not subject to gift tax you can avoid gift tax. Right now you can give people up to $13,000 a year tax-free. That protects everyone from paying capital gains tax or gift tax on this real estate investment.
Consumer Bankruptcy Filings Increase By 33 Percent In 2008
Earlier this week the American Bankruptcy Institute announced the 2008 year-end total number of consumer bankruptcy filings: 1,064,927. In 2007, 801,...
Easement Agreements And Neighbor Relations
How can a homeowner who shares a long driveway with two neighbors terminate their rights to use the driveway? First, find out if the previous homeowner set up a homeowners' association with the neighbors or an easement agreement for the shared use of the driveway. If not, consult with a real estate lawyer to find out about local easement rights. Before terminating easement rights, consider future neighborly issues.
Aggressive Real Estate Agent Pushes Home Purchase
What recourse does a prospective home buyer have when dealing with an aggressive real estate agent who is pressuring him to close on a house he no longer wants? The home buyer should contact a real estate attorney to find out if he's on the hook legally because there is no contract for a home purchase unless the offer was made in writing and it has been accepted in writing. Also, the home buyer should ditch the real estate agent and think long and hard before making the single biggest purchase of his life.
Filing formal complaints against real estate agents
Know your rights if you have a complaint about your real estate agent. If your real estate agent has broken a law, you can file a complaint with your state's regulatory agency, the Better Business Bureau, and the National Association of Realtors. If your real estate agent has committed a criminal act against you, contact the police. But make sure you have a true complaint against your real estate agent and not just a minor disagreement or frustration because your property has not been sold.
Facing Foreclosure? Call a Real Estate Attorney
If you're facing foreclosure or are going through a short sale, please call a real estate attorney. You should have some profesional help to make sure...