Two years ago, my wife and I sold our house of 23 years and decided to downsize. We thought we would rent for a year and figure out what we wanted to do. I had an accident, so one year became two and she (not...
Q: As a realtor, how do I know what I’m allowed to do myself, and what I need to hire an attorney to do? A: Real estate professionals often have questions about what might constitute the unlicensed practice of law – commonly known as UPL –...
Q: If I have to sue for payment of my brokerage commission, will I be paid for my attorneys’ fees? A: In Florida, and most jurisdictions throughout the United States, the prevailing party in a lawsuit is not automatically entitled to an award of their attorneys’...
Q: If I have to sue to get my commission paid, do I get interest on the unpaid amount? A: The Florida Statutes provide that the plaintiff in a lawsuit is entitled to judgment on the amounts being sued for, both after and potentially before a...
Q: Will the courts enforce the liquidated damages provision in my listing agreement? A: That depends on a few things. A liquidated damages provision in a listing agreement sets forth the amount of money both parties agree will be paid to the broker in the event that...
Q: What if my seller delays the closing beyond the termination date of our listing agreement just to avoid paying me my commission? First, you should make sure your listing agreement expressly protects your commission in the event the sale doesn’t close until after the listing...
Buying a home for the first time is exciting. While home hunting it may be easy to get blinded by the size of the swimming pool, or the spacious open layout, or the amazing backsplash on the kitchen walls to go with those new granite...
Property owners have often found that improving their property to make them more energy efficient or wind resistant is expensive. However, our legislators authorized Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs to help homeowners finance the cost of those home improvements. PACE programs are specifically designed to assist both...
There are many critical parts to a residential real estate transaction that must fall into place in order for the closing to take place smoothly and on time. The first time home purchaser or novice residential real estate investor may not understand what goes on...
On Monday, March 30, Broward County issued Executive Order 20-04 (effective Tuesday, March 31) to clarify the types of real estate sales and real property title services that are allowed to occur in-person as opposed to remotely or electronically. Per Executive Order 20-04, in-person appraisals, inspections, surveys, or other in...