Real estate law is a complicated area of law. This is the reason why you almost always need a zoning and land use attorney to walk you through the complicated processes of determining what zoning laws apply to your property, how to go about titling your real estate property, working with disputes involving your property or construction projects, and dealing with federal, state and local laws that affect your project or development.

Services Offered by a Zoning and Land Use Attorney

Land use and zoning lawyers help clients understand the relevant state and local zoning and land use regulations that apply to them. They also advocate for these clients with state and local governments and communities so that real estate projects that are compliant with regulations can push through.

Services that are offered by your land use and zoning attorney may include legal assistance in:

• planning
• entitlements
• permitting
• legal aspects of environmental compliance, historic preservation, etc.
• representation in a broad range of issues related zoning and development, procurement and purchasing, land use reviews, environmental compliance, and the like

Land use and zoning lawyers work closely with corporate or municipal clients, such as national and regional developers and commercial property owners. They also represent private citizens in land use cases such as easements and rights of way disputes, condemnation disputes, traffic mitigation, and related issues.

Why Work with a Land Use and Zoning Lawyer

Each state and locality has specific procedures and regulations on zoning and land use issues. In many cases, issues may require public hearings that involve a detailed description of the problem and arguments from both sides. In cases like these, it is important to have a lawyer with a working knowledge of the specific regulations and procedures so you can create a sound argument for your case. Your lawyer can also help you understand the various land use and zoning options applicable to your real estate property, whether you want to utilize the same for commercial or residential purposes. Most importantly, land use and zoning law firms can represent your interest in the state and national levels to ensure that your project is compliant in all aspects of the law and your interests and investments are protected.

A real estate lawyer helps clients buy, sell, or resolve legal issues related to buying or selling a property or properties. For both commercial and residential real estate transactions, a property lawyer can facilitate the process considerably. For instance, this kind of attorney can explain technical jargon to clients, prior to the commencement of any transactions, because real estate law can be hard to grasp without assistance. People who intend to give away or sell real estate should consult a property lawyer, as should those who want to buy property.

Real estate attorneys serve as intermediaries in lots of states. They can hold deposits in trust, while they are negotiating and closing deals on behalf of clients, and communicate with other lawyers or courts during a dispute. Reputable lawyers always act within the law and put the interests of their clients first.

Often, people get sales contracts written or drawn up by real estate lawyers. These documents can feature particular terms and conditions, and specify important rules regarding the sale. Also, they can be used to initiate any necessary claims in future. Typically, people who have to reveal specific information about a house do so in a sales contract. In addition, they might take advantage of these contracts to restrict their financial exposure and safeguard themselves against more legal action.

Property law firms can help clients with a wide variety of tasks. For example, they can help clients to buy and finance land plots. After this, the firm can develop the land and manage it, once the properties built on it are prepared for tenants. This is an advantage of using a law firm, compared to just one real estate lawyer. Clients can quickly tap into the expertise of legal specialists, with an extensive range of experience and qualifications.

Most property law firms hire legal assistants and law clerks to perform administrative duties. There is a significant amount of reporting and filing involved with real estate transactions. It would be impractical for attorneys to attempt to do this themselves. These trained administrators maintain the efficiency and profitability of practices and ensure that attorneys adhere to the laws relevant to the states they operate in.

property management

If you cannot manage a rental property due to work/study/parenting commitments or because you reside out-of-state, you can assign the task to a property management company. Of course, you will have to pay a fee for this service. Some of the common property management costs include:

Start-up/lease-up/initial finding fee

Though not standard across the board, you will come across property companies that require clients to pony up start-up fees. In general, lease-up fees vary widely ranging from as little as 4% to more than 10% of your property’s total lease amount. In addition, you would have to pay the same fee whenever your property management firm signs a new lease. Companies that do not charge this fee usually inform consumers when marketing their services.

Monthly management fee

This fee is a small percentage of your property’s monthly gross rent revenue. According to figures published on city-data.com, this fee ranges from 8-10%. The good news is monthly management fees remain more or less within this range across all US states. It is worth noting that you can cancel a property management contract at any time if unsatisfied with services offered. However, you must provide a written cancellation notice 30-days prior to ending the working relationship with your current property manager.

Tenant lease renewal fee

After a tenant’s lease period expires and he/she opts for renewal, you will have to pay your property manager a pre-agreed fee. Unlike the fees described above, companies that offer property management services usually quote this fee in US dollars ranging from $100 to $180 or more. For instance, if a tenant signs a one-year lease, a property manager will expect $100-$180 after renewing the lease at the end of 12 months.

Marketing/advertising fee

Some property managers charge their clients a marketing fee to cover the cost of video production and buying ad-space online to market a property whenever it is vacant. Since marketing expenses depend on numerous variables, this fee can range from less than $100 to hundreds of dollars.

Conclusion

Property owners planning to hire property management firms should evaluate services offered as well as fees payable annually or monthly. These include start-up/lease-up, marketing/advertising, monthly management, and tenant lease renewal fees.

Shopping for your dream home… or just your for-now home… is one of the greatest moments of your life. It is equal parts exciting and emotional but once you get down to the buying side of things, a whole bevy of new feelings pop up. From confusion to frustration, buying a home is a lot more complicated than picking out shutters, checking for adequate square footage and mulling over neighborhood stats. Whether this is your first home or your forever home, here are three reasons why having a real estate attorney on your side can make all the difference…

A Real Estate Attorney Can Negotiate Terms and Fees On Your Behalf

A contract can contain just about anything and if you do not know what you are looking for… you will never know if you are paying fees that are basically bogus. Your attorney will go over the fine print and negotiate better contracts to nix unnecessary fees, saving you money and frustration in the long run.

They Have No Stake in The Transaction Going Through.

This is a great thing. Your banker wants this deal to happen. So does the real estate agent and seller. A lawyer cares about only your interests. You are paying them for advice… not the completion of a transaction. This ensures your best interests are met and kept without money being a motivator – a very important factor in any business deal.

When you are in the market for “home sweet home”, a real estate attorney can help you to maintain a safe playing field while keeping buyer’s anxiety at bay. An experienced attorney can keep your money protected, sending you through your new front door and into a bright future not weighted down by fine print or hidden fees.

If you are an investor, or own property in Orlando FL, you need to work with a company that has experience in property management. Experience builds trust, since you know that your property is in the care of a company that has been in the business for many years. Apart from experience, you need a company that will give you services, at standards that are higher than any other company. It does not matter what kind of property you own, the company that you select should be able to manage it efficiently.

An efficient company will ensure that your property is inspected regularly, to ascertain that the tenants are taking care of the house. Any damages will be dealt with promptly, and the value of your home will be maintained. Tenants love to stay in homes that are well maintained; therefore expert property management services in Orlando will prioritize the maintenance of the property.

You also need a company that has a good reputation in the area. The company should follow the laws and regulations governing property letting in the city. They should be able to deal with difficult tenants in a lawful manner and effect any evictions legally. The company should foster a good relationship with the tenants by ensuring that any regulations are followed to the letter. This means providing tenants with habitable environments, making sure that all health codes are observed, dealing promptly with any criminal acts within the building, etc.

Specialized Property Management Orlando has a rigorous screening process. You want to have quality tenants, who will pay their rents on time, and save you from making losses on your property. The screening process will have been honed through years of experience in dealing with all sorts of tenants.

Specialized Property Management Orlando also encompasses handling the accounts of your property in a manner that you can easily follow the growth of your investment. They will give you periodical statements which will allow you to file for your taxes at the end of the year. All accounts are well documented, enabling you to handle your investment portfolio professionally.

Emergencies are a part of property management. They have people on standby, 24/7. This way, they can deal with any problem that may arise, at any time of day or night. As the owner of the property, you can rest assured that your property is in capable hands.

Any real estate developer, or investor, wants to maximize profits with as little stress as possible. Property investment in Birmingham, Alabama provides you with the perfect opportunity to do just that. You can invest in property, and turn it over to Specialized Property Management Birmingham who will run it for you, with minimal problems. They have several years experience, and employ world class management practices ensuring that your property gives you the maximum profits possible.

Every property investor is concerned about the kind of tenants he or she will get. Problematic tenants can cause you a lot of stress. SPM Birmingham has a rigorous selection system which ensures that you get premier tenants living on your property. They employ several types of background checks to ensure that they have the right kind of tenant. This is very important since the getting the right kind of tenants translates into getting the right kind of income-flow. These agents subscribe to several background checking companies who give them the necessary information on the potential tenants.

Their property management professionals take the hassle of dealing with accounting away from you. They collect the rents and submit them to you, together with a detailed accounting report. The report is easy to understand, and you will be able to follow the progress of your investment withy ease. They even provide you with an annual report which you can use for taxation purposes.

The maintenance of your property will determine how long you will be able to make a profit on it. Their property managers are very scrupulous when it comes to maintaining the condition of your property. They will regularly inspect the condition of your property in order to keep it in top-notch condition. They will carry out timely repairs to avoid the dilapidation of the property. They have emergency staff, ready to respond to any situation at any time of day or night.

When it comes to the legal aspects of Birmingham property management,  these agents are familiar with the city’s housing regulations. They will ensure that your property meets all ordinances, by making any necessary changes to the property, after having advised you. They will ensure that no tenant breaks any of the regulations, and if they do, then the tenant will be evicted from the property. All this is done within the letter of the laws of the state.

Rental properties have become a haven for realty investors looking to turn a profit. With so many homes going into foreclosure, not only are you able to purchase properties for a fraction of what they are worth, there are many looking for rentals after they are forced to vacate their homes. That is unfortunate for them, but if you have the means to snatch up these great properties, fortunate for you. Cash down talks, and if you can get one of these great properties for a steal, it can be a steady stream of income on your part with little to no effort, or is it?

The prospect of sitting back, doing nothing, and collecting rent each month is a very attractive one. In reality, however, is it really sitting back and doing nothing? If you believe that, you have never been a landlord. Owning a home is never easy, there is so much to maintain and to upkeep; imagine owning one for someone else. It has all the responsibility of being a home owner, plus. You have no control over how they treat the home, or the things within it.

There are many hassles involved in being a landlord. You are responsible for the listing of the rental, showing it, taking in applications, verifying those applications, getting a signed contract, and worse of all, collecting rent monthly. Not all tenants are going to be responsible or reliable. Dealing with one who is behind in their rent can be a real headache, to say the least. So, what if you were able to really just sit back and collect rent? What if you were able to have someone else take care of the hassle involved with renting and you just got to cash in the rental checks? It is possible with a good property management company.

Property management services will take all the work out of renting. They take care of everything from listing, to collecting, to maintaining. They take all the responsibilities, so you only see the profit. There is no phone call to you in the middle of the night, or rush calls to come cut the lawn, it is all on them to handle. The cost of a property management service is well worth it, just for the peace of mind, and the overall peace to your life. Now may be the best time to become a landlord, especially if you are only the silent partner. You pay the bills, they do the work. It is a win-win situation.

Relocation is always a stressful event, but stress can be bad for the mind and body. That’s why it is so important for you to take some time to de-stress during an event like moving so that you don’t suffer any lasting consequences from this event. It can be difficult to take a moment and step back when everything is moving so quickly, but having these simple moments can really make all the difference between your ever rising stress level and being able to make it through your move without trouble. To that end, consider one of these three methods of taking the stress out of moving to a new home. Not only will these methods help make things easier to handle, but they will help you stay healthy and happy throughout the process.

Hiring Professional Help

No, we don’t mean that you should go see a psychologist during the move, but you should consider hiring professional help to move your goods. When you have a mover on hand to help you with relocating, you don’t have to worry so much about how you will handle logistics. The movers are well equipped with tools and experience that can make your move both fast and simple, so hiring them can remove a huge amount of stress from the process overall. Just make sure not to add more stress by hiring the first company you come across. Remember the following:

• Always get binding moving quotes that will cap the amount of money that you will pay for your move.
• Always check the reputation of the movers to ensure you are hiring good moving companies and not a company that has given others a problem before.
• Be up front about what you are moving, where you are moving, and what your needs are.
• Don’t hesitate to ask questions and get answers that you need before you get moving.

Do Something You Love

It can be difficult to find time in the middle of the moving process to do something that you enjoy, which makes it even more important to actually do so. It’s never a good idea to load yourself up with work and never give yourself a chance to do the things that you enjoy, especially if you are leaving an area for good. Plan parts of the move so that there are gaps of time integrated into the schedule that will allow you to get away. Consider a visit to a local park, event, or activity that you have enjoyed in the past or that you wanted to try before moving to your new home.

Similarly, when you get to your new place, don’t wait to get out and around to see what’s in the local area. The sooner you get involved in something in your new location, the easier it will be to integrate into that area and start your life back on the track you want it to be on.

Learn to Breathe

As things get more and more hectic and moving day approaches, it’s important to learn how to take a moment out to regroup. This can be simple, if you know how to breathe and how to turn your back on the chaos and center yourself. Some people might choose to meditate, while others should just sit back and concentrate on deep breathing exercises. Still others might choose to spend a half hour reading, walking around the block with the dog, or doing another quick activity that can help their mind return to where it needs to be. Regardless of what you do, have something on hand for the moments when your mind begins running away and when the chaos gets to be too much. Ultimately, taking these moments and walking away can be one of the more simple ways of taking stress out of the moving process.

The author of this article, Alyssa Sullivan, works with consumers to locate services offered by Moving Companies in US for all kinds of moves. During downtime, she loves learning and reading, as well as spending time with her cats.

Unanimous decisions regarding where, when and why families move seems to be one decision these working households are losing control of. Distressed properties, short sale flimflams and mortgage fraudulence rules the realty world behind the scenes, unfortunately. Families that simply wish to move to shelter themselves only want truthful information without affront attitude problems from pompous real estate agents. Here’s some quick tidbits you’ll need to run through before hitting the active home buying marketplace, written succinctly to protect your piece of American Dreams.

Approach Short Selling With Caution

A lot of people try to short-sell their house so that they can avoid the humiliation of facing foreclosure. While attempting the short selling process is definitely a far better option than waiting for a foreclosure to happen, there are some things you should know. There are a lot of myths surrounding the short sale proceedings to which you should not listen closely to. In order to help you understand the process of a short sale, there are vital facts regarding the proceedings that you should request from your real estate professional before proceeding as the incorrect short selling of valuable property could cost you dearly.

Really? No Money Down?

If only everyone has enough cash to buy their own dream homes, then there would be no need for mortgage. But the reality is that most of us can’t afford to pay the total amount for a nice dwelling in just one transaction, and so we need to borrow money in order to finance a costly purchase.

The past few years haven’t been kind to real estate. Prices went down; agents took in less money; people didn’t want to part with their hard-earned cash; and lenders were stricter. The recession might have caused real estate prices to go down, but citizens were being laid off and many were in need of money.

Lawyers Are Vital Components

If you are buying or selling property for your home or business, chances are that you need to talk to a real estate lawyer. Hiring one of the many real estate lawyers around you is especially critical if you live in bigger cities due to the complicated natural of real estate transactions. Chances are that you may not fully understand everything you need to know about what is involved with things like condo agreements, subletting an apartment, or buying a building, apartment or house in the city: your real estate attorney will. You may think that your regular attorney may be able to handle it when it comes to real estate, yet these lawyers are specifically educated to assist with various realty law components.

In Closing

Real estate disputes can spring forth from a number of things. Arguments over land ownership, property lines, and land usage can cause litigation that draws out for months to years. Ownership and use of properties can be suspended, and livelihoods lost over these disagreements. Some of these problems start out small, but have a way of snowballing into a mess than can leave you without a place to stay. Keep this in mind before jumping aboard whichever residential real estate company crosses your path.

If you are in the Houston area, look at this real estate broker in Houston.