COMMUNITY PROPERTY
Community property is a type of joint ownership of assets between married couples. It’s the law in nine states: Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin. …
8 HOME IMPROVEMENTS TO MAKE YOUR HOUSE SELL FASTER
If you’re thinking of selling your home within the next few weeks or months, preparing your home to go on the market can help you get the best price. Aside …
4 THINGS NOT TO DO IF YOU ARE A COMMERCIAL INVESTOR
MISTAKE #1: DON’T OVERPAYIts not unusual for a commercial real estate investor that is new to commercial real estate to overpay for a commercial income property. This is usually due …
BENEFITS OF USING AN LLC WITH A SELF DIRECTED IRA
Benefits of Using an LLC with a Self-Directed IRA The process of using a Self-Directed IRA to buy non-traditional or alternative investment assets can be confusing and seem restrictive. One …
SIMULTANEOUS CLOSING
What Is Simultaneous Closing? Simultaneous closing (SIMO) is a real estate financing strategy in which two simultaneous transactions occur during the closing on a single piece of property. In this …
STIGMATIZED PROPERTY
Stigmatized property In real estate, stigmatized property is property that buyers or tenants may shun for reasons that are unrelated to its physical condition or features. These can include the …
WIRE FRAUD IN REAL ESTATE CLOSINGS
Imagine arriving at the settlement agent’s office for your closing. Everything went without a hitch: The buyer provided all documentation plus the Realtor?, closing attorney/title company, and lender have performed …
POOL OR NO POOL?
As we head into the heart of summer, thoughts naturally turn to fun in the sun while staying cool. For some, that might even mean contemplating the addition of a …
WHAT IS EMINENT DOMAIN?
What is Eminent Domain? Eminent domain is the power the United States government, states, and municipalities to take private property for public use, following the payment of just compensation. Breaking …
WHAT IS A LEGAL GIFT?
A gift, in the law of property, is the voluntary transfer of property from one person (the donor or grantor) to another (the donee or grantee) without full valuable consideration. …
SELLER DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS IN MISSOURI
You are thinking of moving, and want to put your Missouri home on the market. Most states have legislation that would require home sellers to give an extensive written disclosure …
CONSIDERATIONS FOR RENTING OUT YOUR HOME
A rental contract is only as good as the terms outlined in the document, so it’s important for a landlord to give serious thought to the information and rules that …
EQUITABLE ESTOPPEL
Equitable estoppel is a defensive doctrine preventing one party from taking unfair advantage of another when, through false language or conduct, the person to be estopped has induced another person …
SPECIAL USE PERMITS VS. VARIANCES
A special permit is generally required when a proposed use, due to its size or external impacts, needs greater scrutiny by the Town and may require special conditions to mitigate …
DOES A REAL ESTATE CONTRACT NEED TO BE IN WRITING?
The statute of frauds is a long-standing legal principle which requires certain agreements, including real estate contracts, to be in writing. Real estate contracts are generally enforced in state courts …