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Pennsylvania Real Estate Law Questions & Answers
1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Real Estate Law for Pennsylvania on
Q: NJ Siblings need to set up an LLC for a vacation house in PA and need to know proper protocol and procedures.

Three NJ resident siblings want to set up a LLC for their recenltly inherited vacation home in Paupack PA in order to spell out financial responsibilities, succession rules, and regulations for using the property. With the approval of the others, one sibling had a NJ lawyer produce a LLC for... View More

W. J. Winterstein Jr.
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W. J. Winterstein Jr.
answered on Dec 19, 2024

While I think it possible that your sibling misunderstood that the tax preparer (CPA?) actually said, in forty-years of practice, I have never heard of a PA law or rule governing or limiting who may draft LLC documents (other than perhaps the PA Bar, which governs who may practice law within PA).... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning, Real Estate Law and Tax Law for Pennsylvania on
Q: Is there specific language put in survivorship deed to show added name is my child to be exempt from PA transfer tax?

I am adding my daughter's name to my deed with right of survivorship. We have a draft of a special warranty deed with right of survivorship and I want to know if there is specific language that should be included in the deed to show she is my child in order to be exempt from the Pennsylvania... View More

Stephen M. Asbel
Stephen M. Asbel
answered on Nov 20, 2024

I do not know all the facts in your situation but before you proceed with adding your daughter to the title of this deed, you should consider the potential that doing so could reduce the benefit of stepped-up basis in calculation of capital gain tax if the house is sold in the future. The... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Real Estate Law for Pennsylvania on
Q: I need to have my wife added to a track of land I own in Mifflin county Pa. plus have the amount of acreage corrected.
Mark Scoblionko
Mark Scoblionko
answered on Sep 5, 2024

If there is a mortgage on the property, you will first need the lender’s consent. You will have to hire a surveyor to prepare a new legal description. You should then have a lawyer prepare a new deed for you, which, after execution, can be recorded. The new deed should include both the old and... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Real Estate Law and Tax Law for Pennsylvania on
Q: I hired a surveyor to survey my 11 acres and he surveyed it to my neighbors statement. Now I lost 4 acres. Is this legal

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.

James L. Arrasmith
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answered on May 31, 2024

It sounds like you might be dealing with an issue related to an incorrect land survey. If your deed states you own 13.5 acres but the surveyor's findings, influenced by your neighbor, result in you losing 4 acres, this could be a significant problem. The surveyor's responsibility is to... View More

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2 Answers | Asked in Real Estate Law and Tax Law for Pennsylvania on
Q: I hired a surveyor to survey my 11 acres and he surveyed it to my neighbors statement. Now I lost 4 acres. Is this legal

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.

Anthony M. Avery
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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.

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3 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning, Real Estate Law and International Law for Pennsylvania on
Q: My grandfather passed away (resident of California) but had a property in France.

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?

James L. Arrasmith
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answered on May 8, 2024

In this situation, the handling of your grandfather's estate will involve both U.S. and French laws. Here's a general overview of what you can expect:

1. U.S. probate: Your grandfather's estate will need to go through probate in California to settle any debts and distribute...
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3 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning, Real Estate Law and International Law for Pennsylvania on
Q: My grandfather passed away (resident of California) but had a property in France.

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?

Stanislav Kshevitskii
Stanislav Kshevitskii
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...
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1 Answer | Asked in Real Estate Law, Civil Litigation and Landlord - Tenant for Pennsylvania on
Q: Who own the property? The bank ejected us while they were not the current owner of the property.

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

James L. Arrasmith
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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

1 Answer | Asked in Tax Law and Real Estate Law for Pennsylvania on
Q: Can I switch name of ownership on a house that has taxes that are still owed?

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?

James L. Arrasmith
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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

1 Answer | Asked in Real Estate Law for Pennsylvania on
Q: Is it my responsibility to confront a neighbor about water from their property flooding my property?

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

Anthony M. Avery
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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

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Real Estate Law for Pennsylvania on
Q: Do I need legal document living with wife and sister in law in family home wife sister 50/50 split estate.

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

Michael Cherewka
Michael Cherewka
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

1 Answer | Asked in Consumer Law, Contracts, Criminal Law and Real Estate Law for Pennsylvania on
Q: Can forgery invalidate security interest in a mortgage?

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

T. Augustus Claus
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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

1 Answer | Asked in Tax Law and Real Estate Law for Pennsylvania on
Q: In phila, Pa I aquired my mothers house by survial and im on deed. If I sell the house what taxes do I pay and how much?
James L. Arrasmith
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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

1 Answer | Asked in Land Use & Zoning and Real Estate Law for Pennsylvania on
Q: Seller asked to leave shed on property for 30 days. It’s now after 30 days. Is it ours now?

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

T. Augustus Claus
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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

3 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning and Real Estate Law for Pennsylvania on
Q: What should we do with my widowed mom's house to protect the heirs against capital gains upon her death?

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

W. J. Winterstein Jr.
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W. J. Winterstein Jr.
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...
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3 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning and Real Estate Law for Pennsylvania on
Q: What should we do with my widowed mom's house to protect the heirs against capital gains upon her death?

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

Stephen M. Asbel
Stephen M. Asbel
answered on Dec 19, 2023

From the information given, it appears that the best thing to do to protect against capital gain tax on your mother's house after her death is to do nothing. If she holds ownership of the house until her death, there will be stepped up basis for calculating capital gain. That is, the capital... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Real Estate Law, Civil Litigation, Civil Rights and Constitutional Law for Pennsylvania on
Q: Is there a procedure a local government has to follow to condemn someone's house

Is it procedure to condemn without due process or anything filed is the court?

James L. Arrasmith
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answered on Jan 13, 2025

When a local government considers condemning a house, there are specific procedures that must be followed. Typically, this involves inspections to determine if the property violates health or safety codes. Homeowners are usually given notice of any issues and an opportunity to address them before... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Real Estate Law for Pennsylvania on
Q: My dad passed away and then shortly after my step mom passed away, who is entitled to the property?

The deed is only in my dads name, never was in my stepmoms name even after he passed. Would the house be split between me and my step brothers/sisters?

Anthony M. Avery
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answered on Jan 7, 2025

It sounds like both father's heirs and step mother's heirs are tenants in common. Hire a PA attorney to search the title.

1 Answer | Asked in Real Estate Law and Landlord - Tenant for Pennsylvania on
Q: I own my home & pay all expenses. My boyfriend lives here & hasn’t paid for anything. How do I get him to leave?

Lived here 10 months- has not paid anything towards living expenses

Alcoholic and has a gambling issue

Want him to leave

Need to know my rights in PA

No legal agreement or lease in place

Gets very nasty towards me.. verbally abusive language

Need help, pls.

Anthony M. Avery
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answered on Dec 30, 2024

Hire a lawyer to file suit for possession only. Do not get in a fight with BF or he will get leverage.

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