CAPACITY TO SIGN A REAL ESTATE CONTRACT
When it comes to legally binding agreements, certain people are always considered to lack the legal ability (or “capacity”) to contract. As a legal matter, basically they are presumed not …
WHAT IS APPRECIATION?
What Is Appreciation? Appreciation, in general terms, is an increase in the value of an asset over time. The increase can occur for a number of reasons, including increased demand …
WHAT IS CROWDFUNDING?
Crowdfunding has become a loaded term, meaning so much more than just raising money from the public. In fact, it means different things to different people. New and old terms …
EARNEST MONEY DEPOSITS
Real estate has its fair share of horror stories. One that keeps both first-time homebuyers and seasoned pros up at night is the thought of sellers walking away with their …
CHARACTERISTICS OF A SUCCESSFUL REAL ESTATE INVESTOR
It turns out that there are best practice guidelines that successful real estate investors follow, and you can follow them, too. People who meet their investment goals adhere to principles …
ROOFING AND INSURANCE
Insurance companies view roofs as one of the most important parts of a home. Roofs protect homes from the elements and can prevent home insurance claims. If you have a …
WHAT IS A WRAP AROUND MORTGAGE?
“What is a wrap-around mortgage, and who is it good for?” A wrap-around mortgage is a loan transaction in which the lender assumes responsibility for an existing mortgage. For example, …
WHAT IS GENTRIFICATION?
What is Gentrification? Gentrification is a general term for the arrival of wealthier people in an existing urban district, a related increase in rents and property values, and changes in …
TOP 6 FACTORS AFFECTING RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE VALUATION
Top 6 factors affecting real estate valuation Factors to consider when pricing a home are historic sales price, quality of the neighborhood, the market, nearby features and the size, appeal, …
TOP 10 THINGS AFFECTING REAL ESTATE
TOP 10 THINGS AFFECTING REAL ESTATE 1. Interest rates & The Economy The Federal Reserve’s plan is to nudge interest rates back to historically normal levels. Concurrently, the passing of …
CASHIER CHECK FRAUD
Cashier’s checks have a reputation for being safe, and that’s what makes them perfect for scams. Whether you’re selling something online or in-person, cashier’s checks deserve extra attention. Get familiar …
CASH FOR KEYS
What’s “Cash for Keys” in a Foreclosure? If you lose your home to a foreclosure sale, the new owner might offer you a lump-sum of money to voluntarily move out. …
FIRST TIME HOME BUYER MISTAKES
Buying your first home comes with many big decisions, and it can be as scary as it is exciting. It’s easy to get swept up in the whirlwind of home …
TENANCY IN COMMON VS. JOINT TENANTS
When two or more people own a home, either as a joint tenancy or tenancy in common, each individual owns a share (or interest) of the entire property. This means …
GIFT TAX
What is the gift tax? The gift tax is a tax on the transfer of money or property to another person while getting nothing (or less than full value) in …
BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY
What is Blockchain? If this technology is so complex, why call it blockchain. At its most basic level, blockchain is literally just a chain of blocks, but not in the …
9 REAL ESTATE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS
Social media marketing is an important part of any real estate business. Its crucial to share the right type of content in the right ways to generate leads and increase …
TITLE INSURANCE
What Is Title Insurance And Why Is It Important? The median home value in the United States has increased by $16,000 over the last 12 months, according to data released …
GETTING YOUR PROPERTY BACK AFTER TAX SALE IN MISSOURI
Getting Your Home Back After a Property Tax Sale in Missouri Lost your home to a tax sale in Missouri? You may be able to redeem it. If you’ve lost …
NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENTS
In business, there are numerous instances in which you may want to share confidential information with another party. But the key to doing so safely is making sure that the …
RELOCATION EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT
Relocation expenses are sometimes paid by employers. If they are, does a departing employee (that is, one who is quitting or resigning) have to repay them? The answer is, it …
11 BIGGEST REAL ESTATE MISTAKES
As a real estate professional, you are constantly being challenged. You need to make decisions that ultimately affect your buyers and sellers and, of course, your business. These choices can …
RESTRAINT ON ALIENTATION
A restraint on alienation, in the law of real property, is a clause used in the conveyance of real property that seeks to prohibit the recipient from selling or otherwise …
WHAT DO REAL ESTATE LAWYERS DO?
What do Real Estate Attorneys do? So you’ve decided to take the big step of buying a home. It’s probably the biggest purchase and most expensive investment you’ll ever make. …
WHAT IS A SERIES LLC?
What is a Series LLC? A series LLC is a unique form of limited liability company (“LLC”) in which the articles of formation specifically allow for unlimited segregation of membership …
SINGLE FAMILY VS MULTI-FAMILY INVESTMENT
1. Multi-family work better with the changing U.S housing market. High rents and the need for yields have created even more competition for single family homes. This has depleted inventory …
SELLING A PROPERTY WITH A TENANT
While selling a Kansas City or St. Louis house with a tenant isn’t always the ideal situation. Consider how it will affect them before making any bold decisions. If you …
DOES A REAL ESTATE CONTRACT HAVE TO BE IN WRITING?
Does a Real Estate Contract Have 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 …
SPECIAL USE REAL ESTATE VALUATION
What Is Special Use Real Estate Valuation? Real estate is normally valued at an amount that reflects its ?highest and best use? for reasons concerning the federal estate tax. In …
FORGED DEED VS FRAUDULENT DEED
Forgery may be thought of as a variety of fraud, but the law does not treat a forged deed like a fraudulent deed that is not forged. A recent case …
KANSAS TRANSFER ON DEATH DEED
Kansas Transfer on Death Deed What is a Transfer on Death Deed? A transfer-on-death (TOD) deed, also called a beneficiary deed, looks like a regular deed used to transfer real …
CAP RATE
Since prehistoric times, we humans have been in the business of evolution. Such is the scientific truth. Unless, that is, we are talking about cap rates, in which case there …
REAL ESTATE AGENT FUNDAMENTALS
These days, more than half of buyers start their home search online, according to the 2018 Profile of Homebuyers & Sellers, released by the National Association of Realtors (NAR). However, …
REIT FUNDAMENTALS
Prior to the onset of the industrial revolution, wealth and power were measured primarily in terms of the amount of land owned by an individual or family. Although the twentieth …