Some might think me crazy, being a person whose livelihood depends largely on commerce in real estate. But it has to be acknowledged! There is an opportunity cost to being a homeowner. I have been a homeowner since I got out of school and found a seller crazy enough to owner finance my first home…
Everyone loves a close game, right! The ratings and reviews on this past weekend’s Conference Championships in the NFL were a great example. Both went to overtime. Saints fans say the refs love a competitive game a little too much a refused to call a blatant pass interference foul and helmet to helmet illegal hit…
IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING!!! Your realtor is in a unique position to help identify problems that call for further investigation. Consider the surveyor to be like a good law enforcement officer. Even your closing attorney can’t help unless the realtor alerts him to issues that presented themselves at home inspection, walk-thru, or when…
With whole cable TV channels dedicated to the theme of Real Estate Investment, it is not surprising that the ranks of investors are growing crowded in many markets. There are still great deals to be had, but finding them, being the first to get a good written contract with the owner, and not “giving away…
But seriously! Everyone has to live somewhere. Buy the place you live in,if you are able. If not, buy a place that someone else is dying to live in and become a landlord. Real estate is a decent investment. Since the recession of 2008, the U.S. economy and real estate market have been slowly but…
Researching who you hire was once almost entirely a “word of mouth” affair. Then came the Yellow Pages. Mix in a little TV, print media, radio, mailers, and basically, any service provider could initiate their own “word of mouth”, self-aggrandizing recommendation. Fast forward to the age of the internet. The emphasis these days is on…
This year’s (11-8-16!!) ballot has the potential to be a little more complex than usual. In my city there is a referendum on Light Rail, a question on exempting widows of First Responders killed in the line of duty from real estate taxes, and a constitutional amendment on keeping Virginia a “Right to Work”…
Kudos to one of our legal network affiliates of Attorney Short Sale Negotiators who answered this question as succinctly and accurately as you could ever ask: Should real estate agents negotiate short sales? No. Absolutely not. It is replete with legal issues, risks, deficiency issues (amounting to tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars of…
A client recently inquired of our law firm: “Hello – . . . My father has just passed away and his house was foreclosed on in a manner that raises questions. Below is a glimpse into our story: Early in the year we initiated a Loan Modification and were told that our application was being…
