I think it is time to consult with a lawyer. There is no reasonable way you can get accurate advice in such a complex setting from an Internet search.

I think you need to get to the details with a real lawyer. You need to review the actual grant of the life estate, because lay people often describe personal licenses as life estates. Then, you need to convey to the lawyer what the son is doing to the place, because a tenant, whether for years or... View More

One party to a lease has no right to change the terms of the lease unless the other party to the lease agrees in a written amendment to the lease.

The house can be rented to anyone on the planet by the owners. A lease does not create lifetime rights. Use a real lease to avoid creating squatters rights, which, in DC, are pretty terrifying for landlords. The lease should account for the fact that it's a family deal by including arm's... View More

The general rule is that a document is construed strictly as to the drafter which I presume was the landlord. Anything unclear (capable of several meanings) is thus interpreted to favor the person who did NOT draft it. And words are usually given their 'ordinary' meaning.... View More

There's an old (very old) saying most popularly attributed to Abraham Lincoln - see https://quoteinvestigator.com/2019/07/30/lawyer/

In the past I have served on a state board, and represented others before state boards. The process is technical and full of traps - you need a lawyer.... View More

In Virginia, if the lease provides that the landlord shall provide wifi, cable and the like yet disconnects those services, the tenant can bring a claim against the landlord for breach of the lease contract.

One thing I love about law practice is that I keep learning new things 35 years after I started practice and about 29 years after I became a Virginia lawyer. Interesting Code section. A trip to a real library rather than the Internet version would get the history of the statute first enacted before... View More

The answer may be in your bylaws. Read them or retain a lawyer to read them.

A landlord can raise the rent only after the lease period ends. Typically, with your six month lease, it would convert to a month-to-month lease (unless the lease says otherwise) at the end of the six month period. For the first six months, the rent amount would stay as it is written in the lease... View More

In consideration of a lease with a 6 month term, at the end of the 6 months, the lease becomes a month-to-month lease by operation of law unless it is renewed in a new written document. During the term of the 6 months, it is a binding contract for which the rent cannot be increased unilaterally but... View More

Your lease should address the issue of the landlord's right to enter the premises, whether it is the room being Individually leased or the whole house. Generally in Virginia, the landlord may enter the premises by giving reasonable notice to the tenant. The focus should be on what area of the... View More

There are certain contingencies in a NVAR form real estate contract, revised as of July 2019, if that is what was used. There may or may not be an escape clause in the real estate contract you signed. The best way to know if to hire an attorney who can review the contract and give you a formal... View More

Order a title search from a reputable abstractor. That's what they do. If you you enter a contract contingent on the property being free and clear and the accepted contract is given to a lawyer doing the title transfer as a title agent, the title abstract is usually an included expense.

You are the owner as of closing without regard to recordation, at least as to the seller, but what form of fantasy would lead you to close with an unfinished escrow agreement for repairs that aren't competed!? How are they to do the repairs? How are you to take occupancy? Who is responsible of... View More

Co-tenancy isn’t majority rules unless the property is held by an entity like a corporation and the shareholders elect a board and president that orders sale. If the property is indivisible, like most homes, each owner has the right to occupy the whole, and each owner has the duty to contribute.... View More

What do the Covenants say about that? Do they incorporate any other documents, like bylaws? Do they create a governance system? Is that governance consistent with your state and sometimes local law? Did that governing body get duly selected in accordance with the applicable rules? Were the... View More

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answered on Oct 17, 2019

If you are referring to the agent under a power of attorney, then the answer is no, the power of attorney automatically terminates upon the death of the principal. Also, agents under powers of attorney do not automatically inherit. Inheritance is determined by the decedent's will or, if the... View More

First you need to read the listing agreement you signed. Or consult a lawyer to review it and advise you of your obligations.

If you remove the property from the market, you may owe commissions and fees for early termination. And if they produce an offer that EXACTLY matches the terms... View More

All of my states have a procedure for depositing the share of the missing heir into the registry of the Court. Consult a local lawyer or the probate clerk's office.