Category Archives: Real Estate
What is title work?
Title work, or research, is done to make ensure the title is clean.
Tagged Real Estate, Title work
How is your home titled?
Here’s why it’s important to review your title work.
Also posted in Beneficiary Designations
Tagged Deeds, Title
Age Related Legal Needs
Every client’s legal needs are personal and unique. Yet over time we see predictable trends based on a person’s age. Here are some of the common legal matters we handle listed by age. Ages 18-34 Home or condo purchase agreements, title work, land contracts, landlord negotiations, credit card debt and debt collection defense, bankruptcy, employment contracts. […]
Also posted in Bankruptcy, Business, Elder Law, Estate Planning, Identity Theft, Limited Liability Companies
How Lady Bird Deeds Work
This deed, with a colorful name, is a very handy tool. A lady bird deed transfers lifetime interest in your property to you making you the life tenant. The deed names a remainder beneficiary who has a future interest in your property upon your death. Your remainder beneficiary can include multiple people, trusts, or organizations. […]
Also posted in Estate Planning
Making home inspections a contingency
For most of us, buying a home will be our largest investment. A home inspection can confirm it’s a good one. A well-trained and qualified home inspector will review the condition of the house structure and all it’s systems. They climb on the roof, poke at the foundation and crawl into attics. In doing so, […]
Michigan Eliminates Dower Rights
For over 150 years, Michigan law held that a ‘married woman’ had a dower interest in any real estate owned by her husband. The law dictated that a husband could not sell any of his real estate without the signature and consent of his spouse. The justification of these dower rights dates back to when women […]
Tagged Real Estate
Rising concerns about flood insurance
Anyone involved in a real estate transactions should be aware of all applicable flood zones. Recent changes in the National Flood Insurance Program and new updated flood maps will have an impact land values. The recent updates, on which flood insurance is based, have moved many properties to new hazard levels. Some properties for the first time […]
Title Insurance: What are you buying?
In virtually every real estate transaction, title insurance will be required. Both lender and purchasers want to be certain that title to the property is free and clear. That means the property is not encumbered by delinquent taxes, unpaid liens, undisclosed heirs or other entanglements. After the signing of a purchase agreement, a request for […]
Tagged Real Estate
Dividing the Vacation Home
A common problem is the summer cottage loved by generations of a family. The problem (among others) is how to pass this to future generations. Not only are there more people to share decision making, there are more, or fewer, able to shoulder responsibility for maintenance and expenses. Adding to the complexity are son and/or […]
Also posted in Estate Planning, Limited Liability Companies
Tagged Estate Planning
