You've just learned that the house at the center of your family's dispute is under contract to sell. Maybe it's the inherited home in Santa Ana that one sibling wants to cash out. Maybe it's a property you have a signed purchase agreement for, and the seller is shopping it to a second buyer. Either…
You're looking at a deed after a parent's death, preparing to buy a home with a relative, or wondering whether your spouse will inherit the house without probate. The words joint tenancy may seem to answer the question. But the deed can determine something your family hasn't discussed: whether the surviving owner receives the property…
A signed California purchase agreement does not guarantee a closing. Buyers, sellers, and families handling inherited property need to know what happens next, when they must act, and whose money is at risk. Each deadline can affect the right to cancel, recover a deposit, or require the other party to perform. Table of Contents Why…
A fence has stood for years on what your family treated as your side of the yard. A parent died, and the deed for the house in Orange County or Los Angeles doesn't match the lot everyone used. Or a neighbor has been crossing a strip of your land, and nobody put the arrangement in…
You may be dealing with a family home that passed to several siblings, a title report that uncovered an old claim, or a buyer who won't perform under a signed agreement. Each problem concerns real estate, but each calls for a different legal response. The practical question isn't whether to hire a lawyer. It's which…
Resolving a property line dispute in California is rarely quick or cheap. These matters can take months to years and cost thousands in legal and survey fees, although many cases settle long before trial. You may be dealing with a fence that appears to cross into your yard, a tree planted just beyond the line,…
A neighbor has used the edge of your driveway for years. No one signed anything. No one went to court. It may have started as a practical arrangement, or maybe you only noticed it when a fence went up, a home went on the market, or a probate file forced the family to look closely…
A family often learns what constructive notice means after a death, not during a calm planning meeting. A parent passes away, the house in Orange County or Los Angeles is supposed to transfer through probate or trust administration, and everyone believes title is straightforward. Then the title report shows a recorded deed, lien, abstract of…
A daughter comes into my office after her father dies. She's trying to do the right thing. She has his rental records, a stack of bank statements, and a growing sense that something is wrong. Rent checks went into his personal account. Security deposits seem to have been used to pay ordinary household bills. One…