| The Historic Homeowner -- State and Local Preservation Laws |
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| The issue of historic preservation is governed by a myriad of federal, state, and local laws. Generally speaking, the purpose of preservation laws is to encourage the recognition of historic resources, as well as the preservation of those resources. Without question, historic preservation is a legitimate governmental objective. On the state and local levels, historic preservation controls may be enacted subject to the applicable constitutional constraints.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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| Finding a Lawyer for a Real Estate Matter |
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| At some point, nearly everyone needs the services of a lawyer. A transaction involving the sale or purchase of real estate may well be one of those instances.More... |
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| Closing Costs |
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| For most of us, obtaining a mortgage loan is a very significant financial transaction. The issue of closing costs, whether the mortgage is for the purchase of a new house or to re-finance an existing obligation, is extremely important. In fact, the closing costs on a single real estate transaction can be several thousand dollars. While the items included as closing costs and the amount charged therefor differs from state to state, there are some closing costs attributable to nearly every mortgage loan. The closing costs fall into three specific categories: title fees, government fees, and the costs of obtaining the mortgage itself.More... |
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| Dog Law - Landlord Liability for Tenant's Dogs |
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| In residential real estate leases, it is not uncommon to find some type of pet restriction. Generally speaking, such restrictions are legal. More... |
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