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We have already assumed mortgage payments but have decided against keeping the house and want to sell. What are the steps?
My house was condemned unfairly. It is not unsafe or unsanitary. My kids and I are now homeless. I appealed and have a hearing in August. City officials are saying I don't have a chance no matter what I do. Even if I do what they are saying is making it condemned. How can I fight this? I need... View More 
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answered on Jul 18, 2024
You need to consult a real estate attorney who has experience dealing with property disputes and local government regulations. This type of lawyer can help you understand the specifics of your case, gather necessary evidence, and represent you at your hearing in August. They can also challenge any... View More
Is a separate savings account legal enough?
Loud that several people heard her, one reported this information back to my mother-in-law, can we file a complaint of harassment or slander against her? If so, how? Do we need a lawyer to start the process?
We are currently having our land surveyed, no one really knows where the property... View More
I have a letter proving right to stay. My brother lied filing the case, we have proof the person was working proving sworn affidavit of personal delivery is false. We were refused a continuance due to not showing when we weren't aware of the case despite 3 back to back allowances for the other... View More
In a unique situation - buying a vacant REO property with code violations with cash, as is. The SELLER requested to do an inspection, they performed and paid for, disclosed results and said I need to pay for the repairs to be made, and I said I'd complete repairs POST CLOSING. They want to do... View More
The current deed is only under his name . I understand it doesn’t change who’s responsible for the mortgage , he just wants his name off .
answered on Jun 22, 2024
Absolutely. A quitclaim deed offers no warranties of title somewhat like you get what I have. Since the home is subject to the existing mortgage a quit claim is totally appropriate. .
My deed states I own 13.5 acres 2.5 is where my house sits and other 11 is field and woodlands. The surveyor spoke to neighbor and neighbor has been cutting back of my woods for years. And surveyor says he'll be out his property and only did a brief search on his.
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answered on May 30, 2024
The surveyor has given you his opinion of what you actually own. If you disagree, hire another surveyor for his plat. If it looks good, hire an PA attorney to file a Boundary Line Dispute which is a difficult, expensive Declaratory Judgment Action.
Two years before he passed, he and my grandmother filed wills in France giving each portion of the apartment to me (apartment). How does this get handled in the US and in France?
answered on May 5, 2024
According to French law, there are two forms of inheritance acceptance:
acceptance of inheritance in a simple form (complete);
acceptance of the inheritance with the condition of drawing up an inventory.
Full acceptance of the inheritance can be carried out explicitly, by... View More
The bank took us to court on an ejectment case and won the case on 9/2023. However when the court granted the ejectment the bank was not the owner of the property. Another entity is listed as the owner in the recorder of deeds and on the tax statements. The bank lost possession of the property... View More
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answered on Mar 28, 2024
Ownership of a property is determined by who is listed as the owner in the official records at the recorder of deeds and on tax statements. If another entity, not the bank, is currently listed as the owner there and the bank had lost possession prior to the ejectment, then the legal ownership would... View More
My dad passed away in 2015 he has a house in PR that me and my mother have been taking care of. We are trying to switch the title over to our name but taxes still need to be paid. Do we have to pay the entire amount before we can switch names?
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answered on Mar 13, 2024
In most cases, you can transfer the ownership of a property even if there are outstanding property taxes. However, the unpaid taxes will typically remain attached to the property, meaning that the new owners (you and your mother) will become responsible for paying the taxes once the title is... View More
I’ve had water pooling in my yard since early September 2023. I contacted my borough manager and was advised to contact the water company. They were here twice and found no leaks in their system. The borough then referred me to the engineering firm contracted by the borough. No help. Repeated... View More
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answered on Feb 14, 2024
If you are the property owner adversely affected by the property tort damage coming from an adjacent property, then it is your right to sue for the damages. It will not be a simple suit. You will need at least a contractor, probably an engineer, and of course, a PA attorney. SOL's can run... View More
Sister in law is executor of will, mother died in 2017, will not settled yet. Worried about paying property taxes, school taxes, home repairs with 50/50 split, etc. Part of estate includes land rented to farmer so money comes in to estate now. Worried sister in law will not provide information... View More
answered on Jan 29, 2024
You (and your wife) need legal documents (including a Deed) to close the Estate and make sure all Inheritance Taxes were paid so you end up with clear title to the property. You should also have an agreement between your wife and your sister- in- law to manage the property. Your wife and sister-... View More
Lender believed that the address on the mortgage, note, and notice of assignement were incorrect. To correct it, they completed a modifcation document with the assigned servicer and forged the signature of the borrower. Because there was no real mutual agreement based on the forgery, do the... View More
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answered on Jan 16, 2024
Forgery can have significant legal implications, and if a signature on mortgage-related documents, including a modification document, has been forged, it raises serious concerns about the validity of those documents. In Pennsylvania, as in many jurisdictions, a forged signature can potentially... View More
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answered on Jan 8, 2024
In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, when you sell a house that you acquired through inheritance, you are potentially subject to capital gains tax. This tax is based on the difference between the selling price of the house and its value at the time you inherited it (known as the 'stepped-up... View More
We closed on a house Dec 1. We had an addendum written that states the seller can leave their shed for no more than 30 days, along with paying for removal and any damages. The problem is, they haven't picked up the shed and it is now over 30 days. Is it our shed now?
Unfortunately,... View More
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answered on Jan 1, 2024
In Pennsylvania, the ownership of a shed left on a property after a specified period, as outlined in a contractual addendum, can be determined by the terms of the agreement. If the addendum explicitly states that the seller can leave the shed for no more than 30 days and that ownership transfers to... View More
My mom and dad bought the house in the early 70's for about $35,000. The house is now likely worth over $400,000. My dad is deceased, and my mom is 82 and relatively healthy. There are 3 kids, and we want to know if we should do something now to protect against heavy capital gains taxes... View More
answered on Dec 18, 2023
The PA "death tax" on an Estate, when the heirs are the children of the deceased, is like five percent of the fair market value of what's distributed. No heavy tax.
The Federal 'unified tax and estate' tax has a deductible of several million, so you needn't... View More
One owner died and his wife has dementia so her children are getting a guardianship to sign for her but have no date it will finalize
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answered on Dec 5, 2023
You will need a PA attorney to sue for the deposit. Hopefully your contract has terms related to the earnest money.
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