WHAT IS A CORRECTIVE DEED?
What is a Corrective Deed? A Corrective Deed is a special type of deed used to fix problems in deeds that have already been recorded. Unlike other types of …
PARTITION OF REAL ESTATE
A partition is a term used in the law of real property to describe an act, by a court order or otherwise, to divide up a concurrent estate into separate …
MISSOURI TAX SALES
How Property Tax Sales Work in Missouri Under Missouri law, when you don’t pay your property taxes, the county collector is permitted to sell your home at a tax sale …
ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT
An accessory dwelling unit (ADU) is a smaller, independent residential dwelling unit located on the same lot as a stand-alone (i.e., detached) single-family home. ADUs go by many different names …
ALIENATION
In property law, alienation is the voluntary act of an owner of some property disposing of the property, while alienable is the capacity for a piece of property or a …
8 SIGNS IT IS TIME TO WALK AWAY FROM A HOME PURCHASE
Sign No. 1: The inspection turns up something majorly wrong Sure, you might cringe at some of the current owner’s wallpaper choices. But cosmetic issues are relatively easy to fix …
6 SIGNS YOU ARE NOT READY TO MOVE IN TOGETHER
1. You’re using it as a way to gauge your relationship’s strength. Moving in together shouldn’t be a litmus test for whether your relationship is on sound foundation. It should …
REALTOR FIDUCIARY DUTIES
Fiduciary Duties A real estate broker who becomes an agent of a seller or buyer, either intentionally through the execution of a written agreement, or unintentionally by a course of …
TRANSFER ON DEATH DEED
TRANSFER ON DEATH DEED (TODD) Planning for what happens to your home after your death can be difficult. Transfer on death deeds provide a simple, cheap way to make sure …
‘DEPRECIATION RECAPTURE’ AND SELLING REAL ESTATE
While the tax consequences of the sale of real estate should not drive the decision to sell or hold a property, there are important issues to consider in order to …
23 REASONS WHY IT IS BETTER TO RENT THAN BUY
Homeownership has long been considered the culmination of a person’s adult life, a moment when they’ve finally achieved the American Dream. However, more and more Americans are foregoing the 30-year …
REAL ESTATE FRAUD
Guide to Fighting Real Estate Deed Fraud I. The Problem As real estate owners and industry professionals, we understand the importance of regular maintenance, property insurance, and other routine tasks …
MISSOURI CERTIFICATION OF TRUST
Certification of trust. 456.10-1013. 1. Instead of furnishing a copy of the trust instrument to a person other than a beneficiary, the trustee may furnish to the person a certification …
MISSOURI SMALL ESTATE AFFIDAVIT
How to Handle a Small Estate in Missouri If you’re wrapping up the estate of a Missouri resident who died with an estate that’s worth less than a certain dollar …
EVICTION VS. UNLAWFUL DETAINER
This article gives a short overview of evictions (unlawful detainers) from a landlord’s perspective. When you, the landlord, need to evict a tenant, you may not use self-help measures to …
BENEFITS OF OWNING A HOME
Homeownership is a rite of passage many of us dream of. Owning a home means putting down roots and having a space that is truly yours. It’s a significant moment …
TAX INCREMENT FINANCING
Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Tax increment financing, or TIF, subsidizes companies by refunding or diverting a portion of their taxes to help finance development in an area or (less frequently) …
THE FAIR HOUSING ACT
Everyone who applies for housing has the right to be treated the same. The Fair Housing Act was created with the goal of advising landlords, lenders, buyers, and renters …
DIFFERENT FORMS OF PROPERTY CO-OWNERSHIP
When two or more individuals own property — whether it’s a condominium, a home, or a piece of land — the relationship between the owners is very important. The form …
REALTORS UNDER SCRUTINY FOR HIDDEN COMMISSIONS
Another potential blow has been struck against the longstanding way in which real-estate agents get paid. In April, the Department of Justice wrote to CoreLogic, a real-estate software provider. …
REASONS TO OBTAIN TITLE INSURANCE
BUYING A HOME IS AN EXCITING AND EMOTIONAL TIME FOR MANY PEOPLE. TO HELP YOU BUY YOUR HOME WITH MORE CONFIDENCE, MAKE SURE YOU GET OWNER?S TITLE INSURANCE. HERE?S WHY …
RENT VS. BUY? ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
Renting vs Buying: What to Choose Any grown-up person one day may get haunted by the idea of getting a house instead of renting one. Yes, I know, we?ve all …
5 PROBLEMS WITH SWIMMING POOLS
5 Common Swimming Pool Problems Who doesn’t like to swim in a pool? Whether we can swim or not, it’s fun being inside the pool especially with friends or family. …
WHAT MUST BE IN A PURCHASE CONTRACT TO BE VALID?
Requirements for a Real Estate Purchase Contract A real estate purchase contract?also known as a contract to purchase real estate or a residential purchase agreement?is a binding, bilateral agreement between …
JUDICIAL FORECLOSURE VS. QUITE TITLE ACTION
Judicial foreclosure refers to foreclosure cases that go through the court system. Foreclosure occurs when a home is sold to pay off an unpaid debt. Many states require foreclosures to …
DEATH AND REAL ESTATE
Understanding Ownership of Property When an estate planning attorney meets with a new client, one of the first questions the attorney asks is “What do you own and how is …
REAL ESTATE SYNDICATION
Both get a share of the profits based on time and money invested. Real estate syndication is an effective way for investors to pool their financial and intellectual resources to …
THINGS TO CONSIDER IF BUYING A PROPERTY TO USE AS AN AIRBNB
IT’S EASY TO SEE THE rise in popularity of Airbnb and other online vacation rental sites and think it’s a good idea to buy a property dedicated to short-term housing. …
HOW MUCH CAN A REALTOR GIVE AS A GIFT?
Closing gifts are almost as important in the real estate world as securing a home, at least it is if you want your clients to come back. Are you thinking …
CODE OF CONDUCT FOR REALTORS
Code of Conduct Thanks for choosing to participate in the exchange of ideas and information in the Missouri REALTORS?online community, THE LANDING. To ensure the best possible experience for all …
LLC FORMATION – WHAT TYPE IS RIGHT FOR YOU?
Types of LLC’s Domestic LLC: If your LLC is formed and operating within your state, this is a domestic LLC. Your state has the authority to govern your LLC if …
REALTOR DISPUTES – DO YOU NEED TO FIRE YOUR REALTOR?
It may be hard to believe, but I receive calls regularly from buyers and sellers that have become estranged from there realtor or feel they are being taken advantage of …
WATER DAMAGE REPAIR VS. REMEDIATE
How much does it cost restore water damage? Water may be a necessary part of life, but it can also do a tremendous amount of damage to your property if …
HOW TO HELP YOUR CHILDREN PURCHASE A HOUSE
When responsible first-time home buyers need help buying a home, the family bank can sometimes lend a hand. Younger home buyers face a mountain of obstacles, including rising home prices …
REAL ESTATE APPRECIATION
One site http://(www.realestateabc.com) cites a 6.34% annual appreciate rate since 1968. But, that does account for: state, city, county, or neighborhood variations. It doesn’t account for type of house (single …
THE INTERNET TURNS 30 TODAY
Today, 30 years on from my original proposal for an information management system, half the world is online. It’s a moment to celebrate how far we?ve come, but also an …
STATE BY STATE CLOSING GUIDE
ALABAMA Attorneys and title companies handle closings. Conveyance is by warranty deed. Mortgages are the customary security instruments. Foreclosures are non-judicial. Foreclosure notices are published once a week for three …
WHAT IS DISPOSABLE INCOME?
You?ve likely heard terms such as net income, gross income, adjusted gross income, take-home pay, and disposable income. But do you really know what each term means, both in definition …
KANSAS CITY REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT
Cycle-low construction at odds with tightening retail vacancy. As unemployment reached the low-3 percent range by the end of 2018, the retail environment in Kansas City remains well positioned for …
RISE OF CREDIT CARD DEBT
Rising interest rates are providing welcome relief to savers. As previously reported, earning at least a 2% APY on your savings from an FDIC insured bank account is now much …
3 STEPS TO BUILDING WEALTH AFTER 50
1. Leverage All of Your Savings Options While a 401(k) (or another employer-sponsored plan) is a good first stop for retirement savings, it’s not the only way to build your …
Airbnb is facing an Existential Expansion problem
Airbnb Is Facing an Existential Expansion Problem Tom Slee JULY 11, 2016 Surprisingly, the new Airbnb ad campaign exhorts you not to be a tourist: ?Don’t go to Paris, don’t …
Ackowledgement vs Jurat – 2 forms of notarial acts
Acknowledgement and jurat certificates are the two most common notarial acts, yet there is confusion about the difference between these forms for many signers. Some notaries even find it difficult …
Technology – Society and Laws cannot keep up with pace of changes
Employers can get into legal trouble if they ask interviewees about their religion, sexual preference, or political affiliation. Yet they can use social media to filter out job applicants based …
THE IMPORTANCE OF A REAL ESTATE LAWYER IN A REAL ESTATE TRANSACTION
A Lawyers involvement in residential house sales began dwindling in the 1980s with the advent of HUD regulations requiring title insurance for mortgages, secured by residential properties, which were being …
Disclosures in Real Estate Transactions
Why Is “Full Disclosure” Important? In business transactions, especially real estate deals, the contract often contains a full disclosure requirement. Full disclosure means being truthful and forthcoming about anything the …
Is being a landlord it worth it? Six big challenges.
Real estate! It’s the way to make money ? or so some people claim. On the surface, it seems likes like a surefire bet; in reality, it’s usually more headache …
Missouri Constructive Eviction Law for Tenants to use as Affirmative Defense
TENANT?S DEFENSES The most common complaints made by tenants deal with the condition of the property. Major problems that affect the habitability of the premises are covered by therelated doctrines …
real estate wholesaling. Limitation of risk and capital
Real estate wholesaling is similar to flipping except that the time frame is much shorter and no repairs are made to the home before the wholesaler sells it. A real …
Renting Out Part of Your Home What to Expect for Income and Repairs
You want extra income and you just happen to have extra space in your house. What could be more logical than turning a portion of your home into a small …
Kansas City Real Estate Lawyer – Missouri Legal Online Services: Book a video call for help with legal needs: Beneficiary, Quit Claim Deeds, Contract Review, Trusts, Disputes, Marital Waiver, Investments, Commercial & Residential articles below.
REAL ESTATE LAW Transfer-on-Death Deeds A transfer-on-death (TOD) deed, or beneficiary deed, allows an owner of real property to execute a deed that names a beneficiary who will obtain …
Common reasons why foundations fail
NONPOROUS BACKFILL. Soils loaded with clay or organic matter hold water like a sponge, increasing the risk of foundation cracks when the soil freezes and expands. RUSHING THE CURE. Concrete …
Tips on Rental Real Estate Income, Deductions and Recordkeeping
Tips on Rental Real Estate Income, Deductions and Recordkeeping If you own rental real estate, you should be aware of your federal tax responsibilities. All rental income must be reported …
By Michele Lerner December 5, 2013 If you?ve toured a newly built model home recently, you may have noticed a few things missing: a formal living room or the once-popular …
Here’s a closer look at the trends that will have the greatest impact on the housing market in 2016.
1. We’ll return to normal (Anyone remember normal?) The year ahead will see healthy growth in home sales and prices, but at a slower pace than in 2015. This slowdown …
TERMS THAT SHOULD BE IN EVERY LEASE AGREEMENT
1. Severability Though a legal precaution, this?is perhaps one of the most important clauses in a lease. This clause states that if?one aspect of the lease is found to be …
Very Important if you are considering buying a rental property
From the first decision to invest in real estate to actually buying your first rental property, there is a lot of work to be done. This task may be daunting …
What to do if you are upside down on your home.
Written By: Miranda Marquit Right now, I am in the process of a cross-country move. As part of this move, my husband and I have decided to sell our home. …
Inheritance Law and Your Rights
Inheritance law governs the rights of a decedent’s survivors to inherit property. Depending on the type of inheritance law your state has, a surviving spouse may be able to claim …
Size Impropriety In Land Value Analysis-Land Valuation
A common public misconception is that “per unit” land values apply universally within a market locale. That is, a three acre site is sometimes thought to command the same “per …
Different definitions and forms of residential real estate
Single-Family Home – The most common definition of a single-family home is: An individual, freestanding, unattached dwelling unit, typically built on a lot larger than the structure itself, resulting in …