Keep
Keeping a house, when the records say something new
Owning a home is quiet most years. Then a letter arrives.
Some problems show up only when you try to refinance: a lien from a contractor paid years ago, a deed signed by one owner when it needed two, an heir nobody asked. Others show up over the fence, or in a letter from the association.
I start with the records. The recorder's office, the plat, the declaration and the association's minutes usually say more than anyone remembers. Once we know what they say, we can choose between a letter, a corrected deed, an agreement with the neighbor or, when nothing else works, a case in court.
Problems I take on for owners
Billed by the hour, with a written estimate before I start.
A cloud on the title
Old liens, missing signatures, a deed with the wrong legal description, or an owner who died without the property passing cleanly.
Lot lines and easements
Fences and sheds over the line, shared driveways, and the access road that crosses a neighbor's land with no written easement.
Condo and HOA disputes
Fines, special assessments, repair responsibilities and requests for the association's records.
Changing the deed
Adding a spouse, taking a name off after a divorce decree, or putting the house in a trust your estate lawyer has drafted.
Owners ask
How do I know if my title has a problem?
Often you don't, until a lender or a buyer's title company finds it. If you're planning to refinance or sell in the next year, a title report now can give you time to fix what it shows.
My neighbor's new fence is on my side. What should I do first?
Get a survey if you don't have a recent one, and don't move the fence yourself. Then we can write to the neighbor with the survey in hand; most of these end with a letter or a short agreement.
Can the association really fine me for that?
Only if the declaration and rules allow it and the board followed its own process. I'll read both and tell you whether the fine stands.
Got a letter you don't understand?
Send it, along with your deed if you have it, and I'll tell you what it means.