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Questions Answered by Erik K Jacobs
1 Answer | Asked in Real Estate Law for Illinois on
Q: Does a real estate lawyer have to review the offer to send to the seller?
Erik K Jacobs
Erik K Jacobs
answered on Mar 4, 2023

Not necessarily. I often have clients, particularly those without Realtors, that have me review an offer prior to submission to the seller. However, most standard contracts have attorney approval clauses which allow for attorney review once the contract is complete. Depending on where you live,... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Real Estate Law and Small Claims for Illinois on
Q: Can a stepmother evict you from a property that was given to me after my father's death.

My stepmother gave me a property after my dad's death and now she is taking me to eviction court and the papers say possession only.

Erik K Jacobs
Erik K Jacobs
answered on Dec 20, 2022

I'm unsure of what you mean when you say she "gave" you the property. Did you receive a Deed to the property? I'm guessing not. If you were given a deed, then she would not be able to simply evict you.

Was the home held by your stepmother and father as joint tenants...
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1 Answer | Asked in Real Estate Law for Illinois on
Q: I'm interested in turning a lake house property into a co-op with about 20 owners. Can any real estate lawyer cover this

This is a single family home in the midwest US (MI, WI, IL, IN) and we plan to simply divide up the days each owner can use the property. No leasing/renting will be allowed.

Erik K Jacobs
Erik K Jacobs
answered on Jun 21, 2023

Sure - there are a few ways to go about doing this. For instance, you can create an LLC to own the property and then set forth the members rights and responsibilities in an operating agreement.

1 Answer | Asked in Real Estate Law for Illinois on
Q: I'm in Chicago, how do I remove the lien from my property after I fully paid the balance?

The lien is placed by the City of Chicago due to unpaid parking tickets. I paid all of them and I am in position of receipts.

Erik K Jacobs
Erik K Jacobs
answered on May 25, 2023

If the City has recorded a lien against the property in the Cook County Recorder's Office then you will need a release of lien from the City to have it removed.

1 Answer | Asked in Real Estate Law and Contracts for Illinois on
Q: I'm buying my house on contract and I'm late in my payment but in the contract it says I have 14 days of the notice to

Fix the default well she already has put a for sale sign in the yard and has the house on market place for sale for 20,000 and I was only paying 10,000 also have already paid 9,000 so only owe 1,000. What can I do?

Erik K Jacobs
Erik K Jacobs
answered on Oct 14, 2022

Well, Illinois law deals specifically with Installment Contracts in the Installment Sales Contract Act, 765 ILCS 67/1 et seq.

Under that Act, a purchaser who is in default has a 90-day period to cure the default before a seller can bring any sort of action against you. Further, under the...
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1 Answer | Asked in Real Estate Law and Small Claims for Illinois on
Q: Need help petitioning for surplus funds
Erik K Jacobs
Erik K Jacobs
answered on Jul 19, 2022

Are you referring to surplus funds that have been deposited with the Circuit Clerk after a foreclosure sale?

Erik Jacobs

Erik K. Jacobs | Cicero, France & Alexander, P.C.

6323 E. Riverside Blvd, Rockford, IL 61114

(815) 226-7700 |  (815) 226-7701 Fax...
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2 Answers | Asked in Real Estate Law for Illinois on
Q: We have a real estate agent who wants to cancel our contract & our relatives…

We hired a real estate agent to represent our home and my grandfather hired her to represent his home. Due to an issue between her and I, she wants to cancel our listing contract early. She also wants to cancel our grandfathers for no apparent reason. He is furious as his house has been listed with... View More

Erik K Jacobs
Erik K Jacobs
answered on Jul 5, 2022

Your Grandfather's rights and options will be set out in the listing agreement. However, if he is not happy with the agent's representation of him, he might be better off finding a new agent....

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1 Answer | Asked in Real Estate Law for Illinois on
Q: Are buyers allowed time to back out of the accepted offer without losing the earnest money?
Erik K Jacobs
Erik K Jacobs
answered on Jul 5, 2022

The answer depends on the language in the contract. Oftentimes buyers are allowed to cancel a contract if a contingency fails. There are a number of different buyer contingencies that can be found in contracts - financing, appraisal, subject to the sale of the buyer's home, inspection, etc.... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Real Estate Law for Illinois on
Q: My husband has power of attorney of his father's finances. Does he need his father's signature for a quit claims deed?

There is no mortgage or liens on the property. The property needs to be rehabbed as it has mold and other issues.

Erik K Jacobs
Erik K Jacobs
answered on Jun 22, 2022

Well, this is a tricky situation. First, is your father-in-law competent? If so, then he should handle the transaction on his own. It is much cleaner that way. If he is not competent, then an important question would be "who is your father-in-law quit claiming the property to?" If it... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Cannabis & Marijuana Law, Tax Law and Real Estate Law for Illinois on
Q: Not allowing a w2 earning cannabis employee to use a fed. Grant is taxation without representation, correct?

I've been trying to recieve a federal grant/loan for buying a home. Down payment assistance is something my family needed, so we decided to try a USDA or FHA loan. We have been told by multiple loan officers that because of my place of employment, I cannot recieve these funds. I pay federal... View More

Erik K Jacobs
Erik K Jacobs
answered on Jun 3, 2022

Well, its not taxation without representation because you're not getting taxed. Cannabis is still illegal at the federal level, so there are issues that Cannabis establishments have with banking, etc. I have never heard of an employee who is getting paid wages being denied from receiving a... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Landlord - Tenant for Illinois on
Q: Do you have a good case in court to fight an eviction if there was crime and unsafe issues going on in apartment?

We are facing eviction after just renewing lease for another 12 months due to starting a new job but it fell through and didn’t have the funds to pay rent. While living in the apartment we faced many issues such as violence going on outside our door with knives, people in the building blasting... View More

Erik K Jacobs
Erik K Jacobs
answered on May 17, 2022

Perhaps these may be reasons to break the lease and move out, but you can't have it both ways. In other words, you can't stay and not pay. The fact that the unit was not clean when you moved in more than a year ago will not be considered. Any objection to the condition of the unit... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Contracts, Estate Planning and Real Estate Law for Illinois on
Q: We bought a home from my dad but he passed away before being able to put it in our name. How do we transfer the deed

My dad purchased my grandmas home when she went into a nursing home and sold it to my husband and me. He died before being able to transfer the deed, how do we get the house in our name? He did not have a will and my mom and two siblings are still living. We also didn’t have a written agreement... View More

Erik K Jacobs
Erik K Jacobs
answered on Feb 23, 2022

In order to be enforceable, Illinois, and all other states, require that agreements for the purchase and sale of real estate be in writing. However, this is not insurmountable. First, did you pay your father for the property and can the transfer of funds be documented? More importantly, were... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law and Real Estate Law for Illinois on
Q: If a couple is living together and is unmarried, and only one has right to possession does other person have claim?

If a couple is living together unmarried and previously one of the people purchased the house In their name, if the couple was to break up does the person without ownership have any legal claim to the property?

Erik K Jacobs
Erik K Jacobs
answered on Jan 6, 2022

The short answer is no. The property was purchased prior to the relationship and was the sole property of the person purchasing it. It is not marital property, since there was no marriage.

1 Answer | Asked in Real Estate Law for Illinois on
Q: If I purchased investment properties in Illinois before I was married does my wife have any rights to the properties?
Erik K Jacobs
Erik K Jacobs
answered on Jan 5, 2022

Unfortunately, without more information, the law is not so black and white. Like many other legal questions, the answer is maybe. Did you buy the properties outright or did you obtain a mortgage? If you bought them outright, did you ever add your wife to the title? If you had a mortgage, did... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Real Estate Law and Landlord - Tenant for Illinois on
Q: I'm a disabled renter who resides in a building that has been sold for taxes and the deed has been submitted to the cour

It was sold over 2yrs ago and I just found out, now the person claiming to own the property STILL wants rent and is telling me information that I know isn't true, what should I do

Erik K Jacobs
Erik K Jacobs
answered on Nov 18, 2021

If the tax buyer has just recently applied for a deed to the property with the court, then the previous owner still "owns" the property until the court deeds it to the tax buyer. When you say "person claiming to own the property" I'm not sure if you mean the person holding... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Real Estate Law and Landlord - Tenant for Illinois on
Q: I need to know whether to continue to pay rent where I live cause it was sold for back taxes and I'm disabled...

It was sold almost a month prior to us moving in

Erik K Jacobs
Erik K Jacobs
answered on Nov 18, 2021

First off, I'd need a little more information. Were the taxes sold? If so, you would continue to pay rent to the registered owner. The owner can always redeem the taxes by paying the arrearage and interest. Perhaps a call to the County treasurer's office would be in order. In my... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Real Estate Law for Illinois on
Q: Our mother passed away approximately 2 years ago, and we are still paying the mortgage on the property.

What options do do we have to place the property under one of my siblings names and or a trust.

Erik K Jacobs
Erik K Jacobs
answered on Nov 12, 2021

First off, I'm assuming that the property was in her name and not in a trust. Was there a will? That would determine who initially has title to the home. If your mother died without a will and she did not have a surviving spouse, then the house goes to her heirs at law.

Was an...
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1 Answer | Asked in Real Estate Law for Illinois on
Q: Is it legal for another party to remove your name from the title of your home ?
Erik K Jacobs
Erik K Jacobs
answered on Nov 2, 2021

Well, in order for your name to be "removed" from title, you would have to sign some sort of a deed conveying your interest to someone else. If you did not execute a deed, then your interest hasn't been conveyed. If someone forged your signature, that's a different issue.

1 Answer | Asked in Real Estate Law for Illinois on
Q: The naghbor.locked the road gate , that crosses,his property.into my property. They used to be one track of land.?
Erik K Jacobs
Erik K Jacobs
answered on Oct 27, 2021

Without more information, your rights are difficult to determine. A couple of questions: First, was there an access easement or agreement that was ever recorded when the land was divided? If so, then the rights and obligations of each landowner should be specified in the agreement. Second, do... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Real Estate Law and Workers' Compensation for Illinois on
Q: Can HOA require landscaper working on patio submit proof of workers comp? Liability & homeowner umbrella already sent

This requirement is not specifically called out in the bylaws or process for approval. Prior recent like requests were not subject to this requirement and no update to bylaws were made between requests

Erik K Jacobs
Erik K Jacobs
answered on Oct 8, 2021

I'm not sure that requiring a contractor who performs work on the premises would be in any association's bylaws. Generally, the Bylaws are just the rules for governing the association. That being said, this is simply just a good business practice.

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