Who? Me? A Landlord? Real estate can be the key to financial independence and success. While TV might have popularized the “flipper” model of real estate transaction, in which infusions of cash and elbow grease transform run-down properties into glossy sources of resale profit, the old-fashioned practice of landlording is still an attainable, affordable, and […]
Why You Need a Lawyer for FSBO Residential Transactions
When It Comes to Home Sweet Home, Don’t Go On Your Own Owning a home is not just the dream of millions of Americans, but it is also the key to growing wealth. Purchasing a home is one of the largest expenditures most people will ever make, but it is also the largest investment they […]
COVID and Landlord Liability
Introduction In these unprecedented times, both residential and commercial landlords are facing numerous questions and challenges. Among these is the question of preventing COVID-19 infections on one’s own premises and the possibility of being held liable for a tenant, customer, or visitor being injured as a result of infection. While the particular concerns and mitigation […]
Is my home protected under Homestead law?
Each state sets terms where a homeowner is protected by what is called an estate of homestead. Homestead laws allow homeowners to declare a limited portion of their property as a “homestead,” thus sparing it from creditors in the event of a bankruptcy or other financial hardship. One primary purpose of homestead laws is to […]
What does a lawyer do at a home sale closing?
Believe it or not, lawyers are not only here for the difficult times in life, such as a divorce or a death. The right lawyer can make the joyful moments in life even sweeter by reducing stress and providing peace of mind that everything is ‘just right.’ Closing on a home is one such happy […]
As a landlord, what am I allowed to do with a renter’s security deposit before they need it back? Am I able to reinvest it into my property?
In a word—no. Massachusetts law tends to favor tenants. This is understandable, as tenants have their home to lose, but it can lead to frustrating situations when a tenant is uncooperative, remiss in paying rent, or blatantly disrespectful to the property and its furnishings. The law in Massachusetts allows landlords to collect a security deposit […]
Massachusetts Receivership
Pursuant to General Laws, Chapter 111§127I, the Attorney General’s Office or the Town/City Solicitor is empowered to bring a Petition for Receivership to appoint a Receiver to correct safety and sanitary code violations when the owner has failed, after notice, to maintain the Property. Once sparingly utilized, this statute has become extremely helpful throughout Massachusetts, […]
Massachusetts Adverse Possession Real Estate Law
Under the Massachusetts Adverse Possession Real Estate Laws, a person may claim that land under title to another now belongs to him or her. If this sounds like something you might like to do; know that the path ahead is not easy. Cook v Babcock, 65 Mass. 206 (1853) determined that a person claiming adverse […]