Easements grant the legal right to use someone else’s land for a specific purpose. Common examples include a neighbor’s right to cross your land to reach a road or utility companies accessing your property to maintain power lines. But while easements can be...
A short sale occurs when someone sells a piece of real estate, such as a home, for less than what is owed on the mortgage. This has to be approved by the lender, as it normally wouldn’t be allowed. If a short sale is possible, there are potential benefits on all...
When selling a house, homeowners must make certain disclosures so buyers know what they’re getting. In some cases, if it’s shown that someone intentionally hid issues with the house, it could constitute financial fraud. Disclosure declarations are typically made...
With joint tenancy, two individuals can own property together, sharing both ownership and the obligations associated with the property. For instance, if they have a mortgage, both are responsible for the payments. While they may create informal agreements—such as one...
Leasing a commercial property is often a challenging process due to the variety of lease types, detailed agreements, the need for negotiation and other important factors. Even more concerning is the fact there are so many potential pitfalls along the way. Even so,...
Homeowners sometimes can’t afford to make their mortgage payments, but they can’t get out from under their home easily because they owe more than the home is worth. One option that might work in these cases is to sell the home as a short sale. A short sale occurs when...
You’re ready to sell your home – but you have a problem: You need the money from the sale to set up in a new place. Since many homeowners have the vast majority of their money tied up in their property, this isn’t an uncommon issue. Even if you intend to rent, it can...
Typically, home sellers are obligated by law to make certain disclosures to prospective buyers about the condition of their properties. Exactly what must be disclosed, however, varies quite a bit from state to state. Georgia’s laws are a lot looser than many other...
Most real estate transactions pass off relatively smoothly. The property details are correct, and the seller has the right to sell it. Yet, sometimes, through confusion or dishonesty, details about the property are not as clear as the buyer needs them to be in order...
One crucial aspect of a home-buying contract, which can help to protect your interests if you’re a potential home buyer, is contingency clauses. A contingency clause is a provision in a contract that allows a party to back out of the agreement under certain...
