In the U.S. alone, lenders currently hold over 83 million mortgages worth over $12 trillion.
Mortgages are the most common way to buy property, as they give home buyers the opportunity to acquire a home without paying the full purchase price in cash. Instead, the lender loans the...
Good financial and estate planning can help you care for your family after you pass away or become incapacitated. A skilled estate planning lawyer helps you learn what kinds of legal protections you need to ensure that most of your assets go where you want them to and not to the government...
Families are far from perfect. Some children have closer relationships with their parents than their siblings. This is normal and healthy based on each child’s needs.
But in some situations, a parent may have no relationship with a child. Estrangements like this happen for many reasons ranging from personal...
Solar panels are an increasingly popular way to lower energy bills on properties nationwide.
For some homes, solar panels can effectively reduce the cost of energy bills to nothing. This may sound like a great deal, but it only ends up being one if the cost of installing and...
Neighbor disputes in New York often involve issues such as noise, trespassing, property boundaries, nuisance conditions, or animal-caused damage. In some situations, these problems can lead to legal claims if a neighbor’s actions interfere with property rights or cause measurable harm. New York law provides several ways to address these conflicts, ranging...
A charitable lead annuity trust provides high-net-worth individuals with a structure for donating to charity and giving a gift to another person or entity. Importantly, the gift recipient does not need to be a charitable organization. Thus, you can donate to your favorite hospital foundation and leave a gift to your nephew...
Builder contracts follow the same rules as other service agreements, and breaking one can lead to serious financial consequences. Once you sign, your ability to back out is limited and depends on the contract terms, any conduct by the builder that raises concerns, and how much work has already been done.
Property law uses many archaic terms that are unique to the use and transfer of real estate. “Deed” is one of these terms, which simply refers to a document used to convey property ownership interests. You can think of a deed as a type of contract, although it has many formal...
Buying and selling a home can be a stressful process, especially with all of the contracts and paperwork. Within your real estate contract, you may find contingency clauses, which could affect your transaction.
What is a contingency clause?When something is “contingent,” it means something...
When it comes to buying and selling property, you can expect to encounter many real estate terms you may not be familiar with — “as-is” is one of those terms. It is critical to look out for these terms in your contract and understand what they could mean for you and...
