Real Estate Legal Questions

Most state attorney regulators have public sites where you can search to find information on attorneys, whether they have been subject to public discipline and have insurance.  Texas probably has this so you should search for the Texas bar association or attorney regulatory entity.  Does the attorney have an actual office?  Call the local bar association in the county where the lawyer is located and see if anyone knows of this attorney. ... Read More

The first thing I would need to know to provide you with a helpful response is how title to the property is held.  Was the property held in your mom's name or was it held in the name of your sister? If it was held in the name of your sister, how long was it held in her name and is it possible that she forged a deed or had your mom transfer title to the home to her at a time that your mom was not mentally competent to do so.  Happy to provide some guidance, but I need some more information to be able to effectively do so. Thanks,Jon... Read More

Sylvia, based on your description, even though the contract was not signed, the parties have been acting as if there is a signed document.  I am not certain as to why you are being evicted as that is not clear from your comments.  I would recommend that you contact a lawyer who should review the contract and any additonal information you can provide, so that you can be advised of your options.  Thank you. Bob... Read More

All real estate in PA is subject to payment of local, school and county property tax.  Your situation is normal.  Sometimes the local and school taxes are billed on the same bill.  It may be that you are in the same school district as your friends but a different municipality. ... Read More

Hello,  Based on the information you have provided, the portion still owned by your deceased brother would likely have to go through probate. The best and first place to determine this is by examination of the deed to see how the parties took title. If by joint tenants with right of survivorship then just recording the death certificate may be enough, but if by tenants in common probate will be required.  I hope that helps! Best, Kristie Estevez-Puentes 754-209-7766 kristie@estevezlawgroup.com... Read More

I'm sorry but I'm not sure what you're asking here.  The time limit for filing suit against anyone involved in the sale of your home to you has long since passed. I don't think that's a realistic option for you.  Some of the items you mention are wear and tear that would happen with any home. Maybe you can refinance your home, use the money to make all of the necessary repairs so that you can sell the home and move somewhere that is less of a hassle for you.... Read More

Hi Angelita, It sounds like you may very well have a non-disclosure claim against the sellers of your property. In order to prevail in a non-disclosure claim though you have to prove that the seller was aware of the problem that was not disclosed. If work was recently done or patched over you may have a good chance of proving that.  Assumming that this transaction was contracted using standard Californai Association of Realtors forms you would first have to make a demand for mediation prior to filing suit, which would give you an opprotunity to resolve this matter outside of litigation and also provide you with an opportunity to recover attorney's fees should you file suit and prevail. I have handled many of these types of claims, both for plaintiffs and defendants if you would like to discuss. Thanks,Jon... Read More

When you say "parish", do you mean a municipality in Louisiana?  I don't know about Louisana law but I'm fairly certain that without a lease or other legal right to occupy the property, they are trespassing once the owner says "leave" and your mother can probably call the police to have them put out. ... Read More

No one else will clean up your title.  From your brief description, it sounds like you will need to get the person who recorded the improper quit claim deed to record a new deed reversing that one or a quiet title action in circuit court.  I cannot tell if you have a good case.  The other person may have some legitimate reason for recording the deed, such as a boundary dispute, and I have had townships and counties insist a land division was improper when it was, in fact, proper.  But if the other person won't undo the earlier deed, you will need an attorney to dig into your situation and see if you can make a case for quieting title.   ... Read More

I've seen this kind of fraudulent filing recently.  They might've pledged the property as collateral to get a loan.  In any event, you are right to want to take action right away.  However, filing a lawsuit for this matter is complex and I would not recommend trying to do it on your own.  The process of serving the suit on the offender will probably be complicated.  You should retain qualified counsel to handle this matter for you.... Read More