| Estates in Property -- Fee Simple |
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| Fee simple is the type of ownership that embraces every interest in property. In other words, when a person owns property in fee simple, there are no limitations on his or her right to possess, use, sell, or pass the property on to his or her descendants through a will or a trust. The owner of a fee simple estate owns the whole bundle of rights.More... |
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| The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act |
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| Certainly, the purchase of a home is a very significant event. In 1974, Congress enacted the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) in order to protect home buyers from paying excessive settlement costs and from certain abusive practices.More... |
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| Escheat |
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| Briefly stated, the law of escheat mandates the reversion of an individual's property to the state in the event the individual dies without heirs or when the property is abandoned by the individual. The law of escheat applies to real property, as well as personal property.
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| Radon Gas Tests |
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| The existence of radon gas in a home is a health hazard. In residential real estate transactions, it is not uncommon for standard real estate contracts to contain a clause that makes the buyer's consummation of the transaction contingent upon the home passing a radon gas test.More... |
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| Home Warranties |
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| In today's real estate market, it is not uncommon for either a buyer or a seller to purchase a home warranty. Such warranties usually cover appliances, as well as the systems within the house, including heating/air conditioning, electrical, and plumbing. Typically, the cost ranges from $350 to $500 for an average home.
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