How to Setup a Security Deposit Account

20 Nov

By Attorney George Warshaw
MetroBoston Publication Date: November 20, 2013

 

There’s more to it than you may think.

First, the account has to be set up within 30 days of when the security deposit is paid, and the tenant given notice of the account within that 30 days period.

Second, it must be placed in a bank located in Massachusetts. You can’t use Fidelity to hold the money and you can’t deposit it in another state.

So you can’t set it up at Bank of America in New Hampshire or Citizens in Rhode Island. The account branch has to be located in Massachusetts.

Most banks have what they call security deposit accounts; basically a savings or escrow account that pays interest. Usually the name of the account identifies it by the words “Tenant’s Security Deposit Account” or some variation.

I use TD Bank. TD has a special Security Deposit Account Agreement that complies with the law. Five other banks I surveyed don’t use any special agreement. Therefore, I can’t tell if the account just sounds nice or actually complies with the legal requirements.

Last, landlords have to give tenants notice about the account every year. Make it easy on yourself. Have the printed monthly bank statement sent directly to the tenant. They get the info required and you can always access it online.

 

© 2013 George Warshaw.  George Warshaw is a well-known attorney and author. He represents buyers and sellers of homes and condos in Massachusetts, litigates real estate matters, and prepares wills, trusts, and estate plans. George welcomes new clients and questions. Contact him at metro@warshawlaw.com.

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Lessons Landlords Haven’t Learned

7 Nov

MetroBoston Publication Date November 6, 2013
By Attorney George Warshaw

I’ve written many articles on security deposits intending to educate landlords and tenants alike. I’ve met with many tenants on their security deposit problems and received a great many more emails from tenants.

Oddly, I’ve never received one email from a landlord. Perhaps they don’t read the Metro.

These are the most common violations of the security deposit laws.

#1. Not returning the deposit within 30 days after the tenancy ends.

#2. Deducting for repairs that are not “repairs” such as apartment cleaning, repainting where the alleged abuse is only ordinary wear and tear, and repairs that are not actually made.

#3. Not stating in the landlord’s deduction letter above the signature (or elsewhere): “signed under the penalties of perjury.” A landlord cannot deduct for repairs unless these magic words appear.

#4. Not depositing the security deposit into a proper tenant’s security deposit account.

#5. Not paying the tenant interest every year.

#6. Not delivering the tenant a notice within 30 days of occupancy stating the bank and account numbers where the money is being held.

#7. Not providing the tenant an Apartment Condition Statement within 10 days of occupancy.

Numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4 are triple damage penalties under the law.
Numbers 6 and 7 result in the loss of the right to take or hold the security deposit.

© 2013 George Warshaw. George Warshaw is a well-known attorney and author. He represents buyers and sellers of homes and condos in Massachusetts, litigates real estate matters, and prepares wills, trusts, and estate plans. George welcomes new clients and questions.  Contact him at metro@warshawlaw.com.

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The Buffoons in Washington

16 Oct

MetroBoston Publication date October 16, 2013
By Attorney George Warshaw

Sorry, I just couldn’t let the fiasco pass without comment. I will say at the outset I am a neutral; neither a Democrat nor Republican, thus I am free to pillory them all.

The Republicans proclaimed this crusade about Obamacare, moronically trying to eviscerate it through fiscal blackmail, proclaiming the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional and a failure. Though it may need first aid in the end, it was declared constitutional, like it or not.

When this futile Obamacare strategy ultimately failed, the Republicans then declared the shutdown was really about deficit reduction, not Obamacare.

When that fooled no one, the Republicans reportedly caved on all significant issues thereby succeeding in angering opponents and supporters alike.

Now this made the Democrats in Congress beat their chests, kick dirt on the Republican grave and overreach, demanding more in concessions than they initially desired.

Aside from this “Three Stooges Congressional Comedy Show,” the real problem, in my opinion, is that each side is more possessed with embarrassing each other than doing the well-paid job they were hired to do.

Let us not forget that while others are not getting paid, the political faithful in Congress are cashing their checks and eating quite well; and they kept their exceptional health care plan rather than accepting Obamacare for themselves.

© 2013 George Warshaw.  George Warshaw is a well-known attorney and author. He represents buyers and sellers of homes and condos in Massachusetts, litigates real estate matters, and prepares wills, trusts, and estate plans. George welcomes new clients and questions.  Contact him at metro@warshawlaw.com.

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Is Interest Due on Last Month’s Rent?

9 Oct

MetroBoston Publication date October 9, 2013
By Attorney George Warshaw 

Many landlords choose to require a last month’s rent rather than a security deposit under the belief that there is less risk and no liability with a last month’s rent.

That’s very true with one exception: a landlord still has to pay the tenant interest on the amount of the last month’s rent.

Yes, that’s right. It’s a common misconception that interest is only payable on a security deposit and not on the last month’s rent.

The tenancy statute is very clear. A tenant is entitled to interest at the annual rate of 5% on the amount paid as last month’s rent with one exception.

A landlord may avoid paying the 5% rate if the landlord escrows the money in an interest-bearing account bank account. In that case the tenant only receives the interest earned in the account.

In calculating the number of months that interest is due, the landlord doesn’t have to pay interest for the very last month of the tenancy, since that is the month for which the last month’s was taken and presumably used.

If a landlord takes a last month’s rent and a security deposit, the tenant is entitled to interest on both, payable at the end of each year of the tenancy.

© 2013 George Warshaw.  George Warshaw is a well-known attorney and author. He represents buyers and sellers of homes and condos in Massachusetts, litigates real estate matters, and prepares wills, trusts, and estate plans. George welcomes new clients and questions. Contact him at metro@warshawlaw.com.

 

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Is an Inheritance a Gift or an Entitlement?

26 Sep

MetroBoston publication date September 25, 2013
By Attorney George Warshaw

The answer depends not only on your personal philosophy but whether you are the one inheriting or giving.

More people these days are considering whether it is better to leave all or a sizeable portion of one’s money and property to a charity rather than one’s children.

A frequently asked question is whether an inheritance will help one’s children in some important way or provide an incentive to do little or nothing with their lives, personal growth, or career development.

Frankly, too many children of wealthy or financially well-off families seem to do far less with their lives while waiting for an inheritance and become hostile later on when they don’t believe they received enough.

In my view, the number one purpose of earning money and acquiring assets over a lifetime is to take care of oneself first and foremost. What you leave to your children afterwards is something you earned. That point should be emphasized to one’s children.

Many believe today that the best estate plans remove the cost burden of education and medical expenses for one’s children or grandchildren, provide support where needed and incentives to do more with their lives.

More next week.

© 2013 George Warshaw.  George Warshaw is a well-known attorney and author. He represents buyers and sellers of homes and condos in Massachusetts, litigates real estate matters, and prepares wills, trusts, and estate plans. George welcomes new clients and questions.

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Is Boston’s New Rental Law Enforceable?

20 Sep

MetroBoston publication date September 18, 2013
By Attorney George Warshaw

You’ve probably heard about Boston’s new registration and inspection law.

If you own and rent an apartment or condo in Boston or don’t live in it, you have to register your property with the Inspectional Services Department.

Here are some key details.

  • Registration was due by August 31st. If you haven’t registered you will have to pay a penalty.
  • Every year you will have to renew your registration and pay a small fee.
  • If you, the property owner, don’t live in Massachusetts you have to designate a resident agent.
  • If your children occupy the apartment but you don’t, you still have to register your property.

As part of the registration, the property owner is required to certify that he or she is familiar with a plethora of complex laws and regulations including the State Sanitary Code, Building Code, Student Zoning Code, Lead Paint Standards, Fair Housing Regulations, etc. – and the owner has to certify an intention to comply with them.

Is that possibly legal?

I could not honestly certify familiarity with thousands of pages of regulations and I’ve written a textbook on Massachusetts Landlord-Tenant Law used by lawyers and law schools throughout the state and litigated cases in the Housing Court for 20 years.

Can you be forced to certify what isn’t true? © 2013 George Warshaw.

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Thoughts on Charitable Giving

20 Mar

MetroBoston Publication Date March 20, 2013
By Attorney George Warshaw

I was speaking with Mark at the U.C. about this column. He asked me to write about how charitable giving may be used with an estate plan.

Interesting question.

Money you leave by will, trust or otherwise to an IRS tax qualified charity is not included in your estate at death. If your estate is worth $1,250,000 and you leave $250,000 to a qualified charity, your estate is then valued at $1,000,000.

More interesting is what you can do with your charitable estate.

If you want to leave all or a chunk to charity, and possibly avoid even the Massachusetts estate tax problem, you could establish a private tax qualified foundation in which your friends and family participate in making donations to causes that are important to you.

Once or twice a year friends and family get together, remember you in their thoughts and hearts, and do something good with your money and memory. They could use it where it’s needed most – and certainly more efficiently than our spendthrift government.

It’s also a good way of keeping your family together and doing something positive “as a family” with a great result.

There are also Charitable Funds, like Fidelity runs, where they decide how your money is used, or you can direct it yourself in your will or trust.

Say you want to help children or pets. I’ll use the MSPCA and Tenacity, my personal favorites, as examples.

MSPCA, www.mspca.org. You can leave a specific amount of money in your will or trust (a “bequest” in legal talk) or you can target a specific program.

For example, “I give and devise to MSPCA $________ [or _____% of my net estate] for its “Pet Care Assistance Program for the medical care of sick or injured animals.”

Tenacity, www.tenacity.org. Tenacity changes the lives of inner Boston city kids. They learn to play tennis but only after the student and family make a multi-year learning commitment. The kids receive structure, discipline and educational assistance from elementary school through high school. Tennis is the motivator to enroll.

Aside from a bequest, you can give all or a portion of the residue of your estate (i.e. after payment of all debts and bequests.)

For example, “I leave the rest and residue of my estate (or a percentage) to Tenacity to sponsor as many children as possible in its “Middle School Academy.”

Plan it in advance with the charity or just surprise them in your will!

And don’t forget Tenacity and the MSPCA in your planning – helping children and pets is a good thing to do. © 2013 George Warshaw.

George Warshaw is a well-known attorney and author. He represents buyers and sellers of homes and condos in Massachusetts, and prepares wills, trusts, and estate plans. George welcomes new clients and questions. Contact him at metro@warshawlaw.com.

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The Home Inspection Trap

7 Mar

MetroBoston Publication Date February 27, 2013
By Attorney George Warshaw

Professional home inspectors often unearth defects easily overlooked by the untrained eye. Don’t pass on a home inspection before buying a house or condo just because it looks good or is newly built or renovated.

The inspection is usually conducted after the offer is accepted but before the purchase and sale agreement is signed. Nearly all preprinted offers contain “an inspection contingency” giving the buyer the right to cancel the purchase based on the results of the inspection.

Be careful how it’s worded – there may be a trap.

Many of these preprinted forms only give the buyer the right to cancel if there are “serious structural or mechanical defects,” whatever that means, or put a limit on the amount of repairs required that permit you to cancel; i.e., “negotiate.”

That’s not good enough in my view.

Don’t hesitate to cross it out and simply make your offer subject to an inspection that is satisfactory to you. It’s your offer – and your right to control how it’s worded. 

Be a smart buyer. Get an inspection before buying, and make it satisfactory to you – and if you’re selling, consider hiring an inspector to flush out your problems before you put your home on the market. © 2013 George Warshaw.

George Warshaw is a well-known attorney and author. He represents buyers and sellers of homes and condos in Massachusetts, and prepares wills, trusts, and estate plans. George welcomes new clients and questions. Contact him at metro@warshawlaw.com.

 

 

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When a Phone Call is Not Enough

7 Mar

MetroBoston Publication Date February 20, 2013
By Attorney George Warshaw

Ms. M, a nice young girl, found an affordable South End Condo. It was her first real estate purchase. Mom even liked it.

Her offer was accepted and she paid a $1,000 deposit. .

The offer contained the usual mortgage clause. She had to submit a written application for a loan by a certain date.  If after making a diligent effort she didn’t get a commitment for financing by a later date she could cancel and get her money back.

Ms. M called a mortgage broker who gave her bad news. The condo didn’t qualify under Fannie Mae guidelines. A minimum percentage of condos had to sold or under agreement to owner-occupants. Since hers was the very first sale in a new development, the building didn’t qualify.

Ms. M asked for her deposit back. The seller refused claiming “a phone call was not enough.”

The offer required she submit a written application for a mortgage and make a diligent effort to obtain a loan. She never submitted a written application and never called any banks that might possibly give her a loan.

Is Ms. M entitled to her money back?

No, the court ruled. A phone call is not a written application and a diligent effort requires more than a phone call. © 2013 George Warshaw.

George Warshaw is a well-known attorney and author. He represents buyers and sellers of homes and condos in Massachusetts, and prepares wills, trusts, and estate plans. George welcomes new clients and questions. Contact him at metro@warshawlaw.com.

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Marriage and Real Estate

5 Feb

MetroBoston Publication Date February 5, 2013
By Attorney George Warshaw

State law provides married couples a special form of home ownership protection. It’s referred to as a “tenancy by the entirety.” It’s like a joint tenancy but for married couples.

It’s created by simply stating in the deed, “I grant to Dick and Jane, husband and wife (or being a married couple), as tenants by the entirety, the following property . . . .”

What’s special about it?

Real estate acquired under the heading “tenants by the entirety” is similar to a joint tenancy in one sense: if one person dies the other inherits it automatically. A probate court is not required to pass title to the survivor.

Marital property held this way has two special features: first, a creditor of only one spouse cannot seize and sell the marital home so long as it is the principal residence of the other spouse; and second, neither spouse can eliminate the right of the other to inherit the property by merely giving a deed to a child or an outsider.  

There are several exceptions that may make a visit to a lawyer worthwhile. If you acquired your martial home before February 11, 1980 or were originally deeded your home as joint tenants or tenants in common, consult a real estate lawyer to upgrade your ownership. © 2013 George Warshaw.

George Warshaw is a well-known attorney and author. He represents buyers and sellers of homes and condos in Massachusetts, and prepares wills, trusts, and estate plans. George welcomes new clients and questions. Contact him at metro@warshawlaw.com.

 

 

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Owing Real Estate as Joint Tenants

31 Jan

MetroBoston Publication Date January 31, 2013
By Attorney George Warshaw

Two or more people can own real estate together in several ways. One of the most common is as “joint tenants with rights of survivorship.”

A joint tenancy is a form of ownership by which a person’s ownership rights in property pass to one’s co-owners upon death.

Ordinarily, when a person dies the heirs must go through the probate court to obtain certification of an inheritance of real estate. Property owned or held as “joint tenants” avoids probate because the property transfer is automatic upon death.

Simply file the death certificate with the Registry of Deeds and the transfer of legal ownership become complete and noted in the official records. Nothing more is necessary to effectuate the transfer of title ownership.

A joint tenancy in real property is established by the initial words of transfer used in the deed. “I grant to Fred and Wilma Flintstone the following property as joint tenants with the right of survivorship . . . .” is how it is typically phrased.

Can one joint tenant deed his or her interest without the consent of the others? Yes. One joint tenant always has the right to transfer his or her ownership interest without the permission of the other – but the automatic inheritance right is usually lost upon the transfer. © 2013 George Warshaw.

George Warshaw is a well-known attorney and author. He represents buyers and sellers of homes and condos in Massachusetts, and prepares wills, trusts, and estate plans. George welcomes new clients and questions. Contact him at metro@warshawlaw.com.

 

 

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Should You Add Your Name to Mom or Dad’s Deed?

25 Jan

MetroBoston Publication Date January 24, 2013
By Attorney George Warshaw

Last week we briefly discussed the tax benefits and perils of gifting real estate. One thing that most people do not consider as a gift is when a child’s name is added to a parent’s deed.

Usually a child is added to a deed to make inheritance easier or to help manage the parent’s property.  Adding one’s name to a deed can have unintended tax consequences. It is often considered a gift under the tax code!

If it is considered a gift, then the person receiving the gift receives along with it the same tax basis that the parent had in the property.

If a house is worth $500,000 and a child is added to a parent’s deed as a joint tenant with rights of survivorship, the child usually receives a gift of a portion of the parent’s ownership interest – typically a half-interest.

Keep in mind this basic estate planning rule when transferring any interest in property: a person inherits property at its fair market value; a person receives a gift of property at the same tax basis (i.e. cost + improvements) as the giver has in the property.

Check with your tax accountant, adviser or lawyer before adding someone onto a deed. The foregoing may not apply to you. © 2013 George Warshaw.

George Warshaw is a well-known attorney and author. He represents buyers and sellers of homes and condos in Massachusetts, and prepares wills, trusts, and estate plans. George welcomes new clients and questions. Contact him at metro@warshawlaw.com.

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Is it Better to Give than Receive?

17 Jan

MetroBoston Publication Date January 17, 2013
By Attorney George Warshaw

When families get together over the holidays talk often turns to inheriting mom or dad’s house or estate.

Is it better to receive a gift of real estate today or inherit it later? Tax wise, a gift isn’t always the best choice.

When a person dies one’s real estate has to be valued. Let’s say the present market value of the house is $500,000, but mom or dad only paid $100,000 for it.

Give it to your children while you are alive and they are considered to have acquired it at the same price you (mom and dad) paid plus any improvements.

A person who receives a gift steps into the shoes of the giver. If your children acquire the property by gift at the same price or tax basis as mom and dad paid ($100,000) and sell it later for $500,000, they’ve made a profit of $400,000.

If your children inherit it later, on the other hand, the tax law treats it as if your children bought it at its fair market value. Inherit it at $500,000, sell it at $500,000 and they technically made no profit.

Always consult your tax advisor or attorney before gifting real estate. It’s a complicated subject. The above information may not apply you. © 2013 George Warshaw.

George Warshaw is a well-known attorney and author. He represents buyers and sellers of homes and condos in Massachusetts, and prepares wills, trusts, and estate plans. George welcomes new clients and questions. Contact him at metro@warshawlaw.com.

 

 

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Have Your Property Taxes Gone Up?

16 Jan

MetroBoston Publication Date January 10, 2013
By Attorney George Warshaw

There is no more unpleasant New Year’s surprise than to find a tax bill in your mailbox for your home or condo, especially if your taxes have gone up.

Massachusetts has a confusing way of taxing properties.

First of all, the tax year starts in July, not January (i.e. which the government calls a “fiscal year”). Fiscal year 2013 began last July 1, 2012.

Secondly, most cities and towns issue bills quarterly (Boston, Brookline) while some bill semi-annually (Cambridge, Cape Cod).

Changes in taxes, rates and valuations are announced in the middle of the tax year (January for quarterly taxpayers), not in the beginning (July). One must wait until January to find out what the taxes should have been last July.

If that isn’t confusing enough, here’s the tongue twister: any increase or decrease in the value of your property that appears in a January tax bill doesn’t relate to the year in which the bill is issued; it relates to the previous tax year!!!

The value the city puts on your property that appears in the tax bill issued in January 2013 is what the city believes your property was worth on January 1st 2012 – one year ago!

Now try to figure that out!

Are You Eligible for a Property Tax Abatement?

If your home or investment property is being over-assessed by the city you may be eligible for a tax abatement.

Every January, municipalities that have a quarterly payment plan (like Boston) announce new tax rates and new assessed values of homes and investment properties.

If your property was overvalued you can file for an abatement. The question that you must answer in your application is what your property was worth on January 1, 2012 (one year ago). Your real estate broker is often a great resource of information.

Abatement applications in cities and towns that bill quarterly must usually be submitted by February 1st (be sure to check your town). In order to be eligible for an abatement – and this is critical – all property taxes due by February 1st (including any past due) must be paid by that date.

Once an abatement application is submitted, the city or town must accept your valuation, make a compromise or reject it within a specific period of time. Many applications, especially in Boston, are rejected merely because the city runs out of manpower to process all the applications.

If an application is rejected, all is not lost. A property owner still has a right to appeal to the Appellate Tax Board and begin a legal proceeding. © 2013 George Warshaw.

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George Warshaw is a well-known attorney and author. He represents buyers and sellers of homes and condos in Massachusetts, and prepares wills, trusts, and estate plans. George welcomes new clients and questions. Contact him at george.warshaw@warshawlaw.com.

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Is Your Pet Getting Older?

6 Dec

MetroBoston Publication Date December 6, 2012
By Attorney George Warshaw

With the holiday season upon us let us not forget our best friends, the furry four-legged creatures that make our lives so much better.

As happens to us all, our pets are aging. Some are getting senior in life but unlike us, they can’t tell us what’s hurting or what’s going on. I want to tell you about something I learned that I think you might like to know.

I attended a discussion recently at the MSPCA/Angell Memorial Hospital on Aging Pets. I didn’t really want to go because I thought it would bring me to tears, which it did, but I have no regrets.

The discussion was led by noted Veterinarians Joseph Kaye, who spoke about Canine Cognitive Dysfunction – senility, Alzheimer’s and loss of awareness and recognition that also occurs in pets, and Lisa Moses who spoke on Pain Management.

Our pets suffer from the same maladies as we do, but at Angell there are people who can help determine if something is wrong and do something about it. Perhaps most critical is pain management. Angell is one of the few institutions in the world that has a clinic and practice devoted to managing your pet’s pain, whether it be from aging or surgery. They use different approaches and often innovative approaches that are not used or known by many veterinarians.

So this holiday season, if your older pet has been acting discernibly differently than when it was younger, consider getting an evaluation – and don’t forget the best gift you can make this season is a donation to the MSPCA, http://www.mspca.org/donate, or a rescue organization. ©George Warshaw 2012

George Warshaw is a real estate attorney and author. He represents buyers and sellers of homes and condos in Massachusetts, and prepares wills, trusts, and estate plans. George welcomes new clients and questions at metro@warshawlaw.com.

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Buckle Your Seat Belts – We’re Nearing the Fiscal Cliff

30 Nov

MetroBoston Publication Date November 28, 2012
By Attorney George Warshaw

By now you’ve heard of the Fiscal Cliff, the latest economic doom and gloom anxiety fostered by the ineptitude of government. The words bring to mind visions of taxpayers being herded like cattle, stampeded down a road that suddenly ends high above the Washington Monument. Kaplunk! Down we all go.

Is disaster around the corner or this just more “talk”?

At the beginning of the new year a number of laws will automatically take effect that are intended to reduce the budget deficit by first, increasing taxes for many and second, cutting spending by the federal government.

Taxes. The temporary tax cuts passed by Democrats and Republicans alike during the Bush presidency will expire on 12/31 and the tax code will revert to what it was years ago. That means higher taxes for many if not most Americans.

Federal Spending. Every agency of government is required to cut its budget by 10% thereby jeopardizing benefit programs and delivery of government services, or so many believe.

The Congressional Budget Office, which is a neutral, unbiased government agency, reported that while the effect of this double down would improve long-term economic growth, it is expected to put us back into a recession.

So buckle your seat belts – and let’s see if our politicians show more common sense this time than last. Well, there’s always prayer! ©2012 George Warshaw

George Warshaw is a real estate attorney and author. He represents buyers and sellers of homes and condos in Massachusetts, and prepares wills, trusts, and estate plans. George welcomes new clients and questions at metro@warshawlaw.com.

Thanksgiving Turkeys

20 Nov

MetroBoston Publication Date November 21, 2012
By Attorney George Warshaw

This Thanksgiving I submit for your consideration my 2012 awards for “Turkey of the Year.”

Turkey of the Year. The United States Senate and Congress, with honors, for showing fearless stupidity in the face of common sense and for putting themselves and their party above the best interests of the people who elected them (but don’t they always do that!).

Without question, these Republican and Democrat butterballs (or butterheads) thought it more important to embarrass the other side in the name of self-righteous indignation that fooled no one. For this they all deserve to share collectively the Turkey of the Year award and be voted out. Unfortunately, too many of them returned to Congress where they will likely embarrass themselves and remain eligible for this award next year.

Runner-up Turkey of the Year. Mitt Romney, for hearing the Democratic Battle Cry of “Millionaires and Billionaires” and trying to prove it correct. One would think a person running for President for more than 8 years would have enough common sense to get rid of his foreign bank accounts a decade ago, delay building a new home with an elevator just for his car, and used his considerable wealth to set up a Bill Gates type of charitable foundation that tried to help people in need. © 2012 George Warshaw.

George Warshaw is a real estate attorney and author. He represents buyers and sellers of homes and condos in Massachusetts, and prepares wills, trusts, and estate plans. George welcomes new clients and questions at metro@warshawlaw.com.

Now That The Election Is Over

14 Nov

MetroBoston Publication Date November 14, 2012
By Attorney George Warshaw

Thank goodness. No more ads by candidates ripping each other to shreds. But now, what’s ahead for the real estate economy?

Predictions that real estate will lead us back in the recovery quickly turned to gloom a day after the election. “The recession is upon us again! The sky is falling!”

I must say that I am so sick of hearing good news one day and Armageddon the next.

I’m taking a simpler, unscientific approach to understanding the future of the market. If you want to know what the weather will be, stick your head out the window.

In my view, this country is in a credit crisis. I ask three recovery questions: Is individual credit card debt being reduced? Are foreclosures slowing? Is consumer confidence positive, negative or indifferent?

A positive answer to all three questions means to me that people are recovering and will spend money again soon. People spending money generally means that more people get employed to meet demand.

Perhaps my view is simplistic, but right now the real estate market is still moving forward. Prices have increased. Rents are rising. Homes and condos for sale are in shorter supply. New home construction is up. Banks want to and need to make loans.

All very positive signs. That’s my view! © 2012 George Warshaw.

George Warshaw is a real estate attorney and author. He represents buyers and sellers of homes and condos in Massachusetts, and prepares wills, trusts, and estate plans. George welcomes new clients and questions at metro@warshawlaw.com.

 

Quitclaim Deeds of property

8 Nov

MetroBoston Publication Date October 07, 2012
By Attorney George Warshaw

When you buy a home in most of Massachusetts you receive at the closing table what is often called a “Quitclaim Deed.” That’s because the deed comes imprinted with the words “Quitclaim Covenants” in it.

But what does it mean?

Quitclaim Covenants are analogous to a limited warranty made by the seller to the buyer about the quality of title or ownership to the property being transferred.

By using the common phrase “I convey to you [my condo or home] located at . . . with Quitclaim Covenants” – or words to that effect, the seller guarantees that at the time the deed is passed across the table the property is free from liens and encumbrances placed on it by the seller.

Mortgages, property taxes, water and sewer charges, and condo fees are liens on a property until they are paid.

So if a mortgage was granted by the seller and a release of that lien was not recorded on or before the time of sale, the seller remains responsible to obtain it even after the property is sold.

That’s important because in Massachusetts the age old rule of “Buyer Beware” is still alive. Once the deed is accepted by a buyer, the buyer’s ability to sue the seller later becomes more limited and difficult. © 2012 George Warshaw.

George Warshaw is a real estate attorney and author. He represents buyers and sellers of homes and condos in Massachusetts, and prepares wills, trusts, and estate plans. George welcomes new clients and questions at metro@warshawlaw.com.

 

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WHO SHOULD YOU TELL ABOUT YOUR WILL

1 Nov

MetroBoston Publication Date October 31, 2012
By Attorney George Warshaw

Other than your spouse and your lawyer, should you tell anyone else?

Think thrice before you do. It may go against your compelling desire to let others know about their inheritances, but I say this from experience: people often change their minds when it comes to money and property, especially later in life, and more especially if they remarry.

Create an expectation that doesn’t come true, and you may leave someone with badly injured feelings or ill thoughts of you.

The purpose of a will may be to leave money and property to someone, but there is another purpose, rarely considered, but as important in my view – avoiding family strife and discord that often follows a surprising inheritance or disinheritance after one’s death.

Take your children for example. Once you’re dead you won’t be able to fix hurt feelings if an inheritance doesn’t match your promise or their expectations.

And we’ve all heard the stories of families torn apart after an older parent remarries and promised inheritances go to someone else’s children. Use your will to promote family harmony and a positive memory of you.

So be careful what you disclose if you decide to tell all.  Contact me if you need help with your planning. ©2012 George Warshaw.

George Warshaw is a well-known attorney and legal author . He practices real estate and estate planning, assisting buyers and sellers of homes and condos and preparing wills and trusts. Send him your thoughts and comments at metro@warshawlaw.com.

 

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