Real Estate Law

One of the most important documents included with any real estate purchase is the HUD-1 statement of settlement. The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) requires this form with all real...

An escrow assistant helps an attorney or escrow agent handle funds for a real-estate transaction. While no specific educational background is required, an escrow assistant must possess many skills...

A Correction Agreement gives a mortgage lender limited power of attorney for the borrower. The power of attorney is only exercised after a real-estate closing if changes need to be made on the...

Funds for home buyer grants are primarily available through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). There are several different programs administered by HUD that provide grants...

A quitclaim deed is the quickest and most hassle-free way to sell a piece of real estate. The quitclaim deed means that the buyer takes the property as is, with no guarantees or warranties...

Property tax on real estate is usually levied by local government, either at the municipal or county level. Real estate taxes are often the primary source of funds for constructing and maintaining...

New Jersey law requires that construction, maintenance and use of all buildings be regulated according to the "State Uniform Construction Code Act." The purpose of the act is to insure uniform,...

Keeping your house lawsuit proof is almost impossible however being a full time real estate investor I learned of a way to do just that.

There are currently unprecedented levels of foreclosure and mortgage defaults due to the economic recession. Many Homeowners are looking for a way to keep their home and stop foreclosure. Many...

All renters have certain rights and protections. For instance, the federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination, and generally landlords must maintain rental property in a habitable...

There are a number of reasons why it is important to clear up vacant business lots. Messy business lots are eyesores, lose value, and can cause the owner to be fined. There are certain strategies...

As a landlord, on occasion it is necessary to write an eviction notice for tenants. When renters do not comply with one or more conditions of a rental lease or rental agreement, landlords can...

Hunting and recreation are inherently dangerous to an uncertain degree. You should expect accidents to occur. Personal injuries are common, including potential accidental death. Because of these...

As the owner of a vacant lot, you appreciate that idle property costs you money in taxes, upkeep and other expenses. Through a bit of ingenuity and a bit of effort, you can turn a vacant lot into...

Background checks for a rental lease are not something a tenant should worry much about unless they have a prior record of bad relations with previous renting and financial transactions. Smart...

A Land Patent is also called the First Title Deed or Certificate because it was originally a formal certificate granting land to a person or a company. When the original owner of the land patent...

Unlike most states that adopted a version of the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, California enacted rental laws that provide more significant rights and protections to a tenant....

Trespass laws are designed to provide the owners of real estate with certain rights to protect their property. These include rights to keep unwanted individuals off the property and to remove...

Even with all the great memories you've made vacationing at your Mexico timeshare, the time may come when you need to relieve yourself of the timeshare contract before it ends. Most likely you've...

With the foreclosure crisis, a significant number of tenants found themselves evicted from their homes with little to no notice. These are renters who were unaware that the property owner was...

In a typical real estate sale, a bank finances the transaction between buyer and seller and takes a mortgage on the property until the loan is paid off. In a land contract, the seller finances the...

Several laws govern real estate in Mississippi. One source of real estate regulations can be found under Title 89 of the Mississippi Code. Real property generally refers to land plus associated...

An excellent way to offset costs of land ownership or to make the land more profitable is to lease it for hunting. It is not necessary to involve real estate lawyers to write the lease. Clearly...

Eminent domain is the process through which a governmental unit takes possession of real estate. The governmental unit pays a fair price for the property, which is then put to use for a purpose...

In some states, foreclosures are a very time consuming and tedious process, but in Texas it's different. In Texas, it is fairly easy to foreclose on a property and the process moves quickly. ...

Homeowner associations are created for the purpose of developing, managing and selling a category of residential housing called common-interest developments. This category includes condominiums,...

Water rights are highly desired in real estate transactions. Whether for agricultural use, recreational use or other purposes, water rights can significantly increase the appeal of a real estate...

Rent control laws limit the amount landlords can charge tenants for rent. Rent control laws also affect how much rent may can increase from year to year. In the U.S., there are no federal or state...

Along with responsibilities, landlords have certain rights and protections under federal law. Rights granted to landlords include collecting security deposits, evicting tenants, raising rent and...

A quitclaim, which is often erroneously but commonly called a quick claim, is a simple way for an individual to give up interest in a property. The legal document, or deed, is basically a real...

People who lease properties for residential use are known as tenants (also known as "lessee"). The owner of the home being leased is called a landlord (also known as "lessor"). Laws for each state...

Every fee-based, brokered real estate transaction must now be facilitated by a state-licensed real estate professional. A Real Estate License Act has been passed in every state plus the District...

Several liens can be placed or attached to primary property. Primary property generally refers to a person's principal place of residence. Architects, mechanics, property tax agencies, attorneys...

Businesses of all types make significant investments in the property in which they operate, even if they are leasing the premises. Consequently, people and businesses that lease commercial...

There are a variety of issues that are addressed when a person dies and leaves an estate that includes personal property and real estate. One of the primary matters to be dealt with is...

A deed is the legal document, or instrument, that proves ownership of a particular piece of land or property. Before an individual can give a piece of land or property to a relative, a transfer...

Carbon monoxide is truly a "silent killer". It is a gas that you cannot see, smell or taste. However, carbon monoxide is fatal to those exposed because the symptoms include fatigue and...

The title to a property provides a legal description and information on the owner and seller. After the purchase of a home, it may be necessary to add an owner or make corrections. A quitclaim...

Landlords should think twice before taking eviction matters into their own hands. Loud parties or late rent is not an excuse for a landlord to turn off the water or change the locks. It's...

A property transfer is the shift of a piece of real property -- a structure, such as a home, or land -- from one individual to another. Unlike selling real property, no money or services are...

Although most mold growth is harmless, a few varieties can cause severe health problems. While there exists some debate about exactly what level of harm exposure to mold can cause, the potential...

As a landlord you occasionally may encounter a renter that does not honor his lease agreements. For example, you may face the prospect of a renter that writes a bad check to you. In each state in...

The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, also known as the FHA Modernization Act of 2008, was finally signed into law by former President George Bush on July 30, 2008 after many failed...

Homeowners associations provide many benefits for their members. They enforce rules that ensure neighbors comply with basic standards that keep homes and properties orderly and neat. They also...

A land contract is a written, signed and decisional agreement between a seller and buyer for a piece of property or land. Both the seller and buyer have rights within the agreement that are to be...

The Obama loan relief plan, established in March 2009, recently announced that it has hit its goal of obtaining mortgage loan modifications for 500,000 Americans before November 1, 2009. The $75...

If you fear falling behind in your mortgage payments—for a second time—you’re not alone. More than 50% of homeowners who’ve already received a loan modification will default a second time,...

In the eyes of the residential tenant, one of the sexiest affirmative defenses to an eviction for the non-payment of rent is a claim that the landlord has failed to adequately maintain the...

Even when the residential tenant timely serves the statutory notice complaining about the landlord’s failure to maintain the premises, Florida Statute § 83.60 mandates that, in an eviction...

Serving a 3 Day Eviction Notice must be accomplished by the landlord prior to filing an eviction lawsuit. A proper starting point for the landlord in preparing a 3 Day Eviction Notice is to...