Get free answers to your Real Estate Law legal questions from lawyers in your area.
I moved in with my mother and her husband about 3-4 years ago and had a verbal agreement to pay $200 rent directly to them. After some changes, I was told to pay the landlord directly, but there seemed to be confusion about the payment plan and outstanding balances. I eventually moved out, but my... View More 
I believe that I lost my home due to fraudulent actions taken by the city, specifically involving a lawsuit against the Detroit Land Bank. I have not yet reported the fraud but intend to do so now. I am looking for an attorney who can help me with this situation involving allegations of property... View More
answered on Apr 6, 2025
The first step is that you would want to speak with a real estate lawyer who litigates. You don't mention when this fraud happened, so there may be limits on when you can sue. Fraud allegations are not taken lightly, and proving fraud has a very high threshold of proof, so you would need to... View More
I have been living in a mobile home park for 6 years, and my rent was last increased 12 months ago. Recently, my rent was raised from $520 to $690 without any specific reason provided by management. Other residents have received the same increase. I'm not aware of any local rent control laws.... View More
answered on Apr 5, 2025
Absent rent control or some other local codes, private landlords can choose to charge whatever the market will bear for rent.
This is the disadvantage of renting.
You can also choose to move somewhere else with little to no notice.
This is the advantage of renting.... View More
I gave my ex-girlfriend a 30-day notice to vacate, which she acknowledged with a handwritten letter stating she'd be out in 30 days to avoid eviction on her record. She didn't leave, so I filed for eviction in Michigan a week after the deadline. She's now claiming she'll move... View More
answered on Apr 4, 2025
I think you know the answer, or you wouldn’t be asking the question in the first place. A verbal agreement, in general, is worth the paper that it is written on. Yes she can just change her mind again.
You DO need to serve her however, but so long as you are only looking for eviction and... View More
I am a tenant renting in Hamtramck, MI, and I'm having issues with my landlord regarding essential repairs. My refrigerator is not working properly, and there is a cockroach infestation in the building. Despite responsive communication, my landlord has been unable to resolve these issues. He... View More
What is the foreclosure process in Detroit, Michigan? I was foreclosed by a hard money lender in January, but I never received a foreclosure notice. My lender usually sends mail to my correct address, and I have not contacted them yet to discuss this issue.
I inherited property from my father, who passed away in 2017. The property, jointly owned with his siblings, now has a buyer who is aware of the probate status. There was a will involved specifying how my share should be handled. I’m trying to figure out what my share is worth in order to start... View More
answered on Apr 1, 2025
Was the property owned by your father, aunts and/or uncles as tenants in common? I presume so, or else the survivors would own the property and your father's share terminated.
The will may govern disposition of your father's interest in the property as a tenant in common, but... View More
I inherited acreage from my father, who passed away in 2017. The property was jointly owned with his siblings, and we now have a buyer. All taxes have been paid, and there are no disputes among the siblings. Is the date for pro-rating ownership determined by when my father passed away, or when the... View More
I am concerned about a property in Ironwood, MI, that is scheduled to go up for tax auction on Monday at 5:00 PM for $3,700. There is no will, and my nephew is the only relative. Can I take ownership from my nephew before the probate process is completed to prevent the auction?
answered on Mar 29, 2025
Your nephew cannot transfer ownership of something he does not yet own.
So the short answer is 'no' ....
But there may be other options. Talk with a licensed local real estate/probate attorney to determine what can be done.
Good luck
I'm interested in acquiring a property as a third party due to $3,700 in unpaid back taxes. The property owner recently passed away, and the owner's nephew has until Monday evening to pay the back taxes. The property is not yet listed for a tax sale or auction. I would like to know if I... View More
answered on Mar 29, 2025
'Control' is such a non-specific word.
Can you PAY the back taxes to the County/State before then? Yes, but the Estate will retain the right to redeem meaning you won't get the property, you'll only get your money (plus interest) back.
Can you BUY the property... View More
I am seeking advice for my sister, who has previously had incidents involving setting a dumpster on fire twice due to mental health issues, for which she wasn't prosecuted. She is now stable and on medication. She is concerned about how this past behavior may affect her future rental... View More
I'm seeking accountability for my ex-husband's misrepresentation during our divorce. He purchased two houses in 2013, claiming to be single, while we were married until 2014. I have evidence from a workers' compensation hearing showing discrepancies and deeds indicating he was... View More
answered on Mar 29, 2025
Who are you seeking to hold accountable? This all sounds like an issue to be raised in a post-judgment motion to the divorce proceeding. However, you're going to need to explain to the court why and how you could not have discovered and raised this issue before.
You won't hear... View More
I discovered that my ex-husband lied about his marital status during our divorce, and I was not included in the real estate deed despite being married to him at the time. The houses were not included in the divorce decree, and I believe the title companies did not use my divorce decree for... View More
answered on Mar 28, 2025
Michigan had abolished 'dower rights' for spouses back in 2016. "Dower" was a legal right that gave a wife an interest in her husband's real property for her lifetime, usually up to a 1/3 interest in the real estate. So with regards to any real estate that your husband may... View More
I live in a trailer that my son's grandfather bought, and I have an agreement to stay here indefinitely as long as I pay the bills. The property is in his name. Recently, I discovered that my son's father has been collecting mortgage payments from me but not paying the mortgage. I have... View More
I have been making payments on a land contract for 15 years. After the first year, my payments of $326.80 were verbally reduced to $234.29, intended to adjust for property taxes as the contract allowed changes to reflect estimated tax costs upon demand from either party. These reduced payments have... View More
answered on Mar 25, 2025
Without seeing the land contract, the tax bills and the payment amortization schedule it is impossible to say for sure, but the 'overall rule' in Michigan is 'if it deals with real estate, it must be in writing' so -- your written contract controls.
Take that contract,... View More
I would like to know if someone can declare a property as their own if they have had possession of it for 20 years, without any documentation or legal actions currently related to the property.
answered on Mar 25, 2025
Yes, if the elements required for adverse possession are met. The basic elements are open, notorious and hostile. Thus for example, if you occupy property with the permission of the owner, your possession is not hostile. We would need more facts to comment on your particular situation.
I am a widow, and I own a house in Michigan that I intended to flip. My husband, who is now deceased, added his daughter to the deed solely for cheaper insurance purposes. I am also on the deed, and I am the sole person on the mortgage. My stepdaughter believes the house is hers and is living... View More
answered on Mar 13, 2025
Partition or partition sale is the name of the legal action to be instituted. However, I don't understand the state of title. Did you and your husband own the property as husband and wife? Did both of you sign the deed to add his daughter to the title? If you both owned it and only he... View More
I have an issue with the city water municipal foreman in my town. I was charged $1,500 for my water bill, which later increased to $3,000 in six months without a clear explanation. Despite having the water shut off when the bill was $1,500 and receiving help from an agency to pay it off completely,... View More
answered on Mar 8, 2025
What 'town' is this? Are the payments made actually credited, and/or was there some sort of water leak or other situation that might have led to such a high bill before being shut off entirely? WERE any payments made?
Understand that municipal water supplies are empowered to... View More
My brother passed away in December 2024, and I am the personal representative for his estate in Michigan. His wife passed away in 2013. They lived in a home purchased during their marriage, but only his late wife’s name was on the deed. My brother never had the property transferred to his name.... View More
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answered on Mar 7, 2025
The Will devise is your source of title. When you are able to sell it during the Probate process, then your Deed will have the devise to you as the derivation of title in the legal description. It should specifically cite the will book, page number and docket number of the Court where it was... View More
I am the personal representative of my brother's estate in Michigan. He purchased a home with his late wife in 2008, who passed away in 2013. The deed is currently under his late wife's name with "estate" noted after it. My brother never had the deed changed to his name. His... View More
answered on Mar 8, 2025
You will need to provide the probate attorney with a copy of the deed. If the language on the deed is drafted properly, then the property interest may not need to be probated. Deeds contain language that has far-reaching consequences, so that is where most attorneys would start, by reviewing the... View More
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