Understanding Florida Landlord Security Deposit Obligations

Anyone who’s ever looked for property to rent in Florida before knows that most leases require you to send your landlord a security deposit. But when you transfer over that deposit to your landlord, where does the money actually go? What information about the deposit are you entitled to? What do you do if your landlord claims you broke the lease and attempts to withhold your deposit? You can find everything you Read More

5 Common Mistakes Every Renter MUST Avoid

Renting a house or an apartment can be a great option for people in many situations throughout life. It is typically a more affordable option, and comes with far fewer responsibilities than buying a house. Whether you’re planning to rent for just a few months, or you want to stay in one place for years, make sure you don’t make the following common renter mistakes. Skimming Over the Lease Agreement When signing the Read More

Bankruptcy Basics: The Difference Between Liquidation & Reorganization

There are many reasons why people have to declare bankruptcy ranging from over extended credit, loss of income, medical debt, and many others. Deciding to declare bankruptcy is never an easy decision, but if you are going to go through the process, you will want to make sure to choose the right type of bankruptcy. For most people, the two options include chapter 7 (liquidation) and chapter 13 (reorganization). Each Read More

Understanding the Dischargeability of Student Loans in Bankruptcy

When signing up for a college education, far too many students don’t give their educational loans a second thought. After they graduate with an average of $35,000 in student loan debt per person (as of 2015), however, it starts to become a major problem. It is currently estimated that more than 11% of all student loans are in delinquency, and that number continues to rise. Many people who are struggling with student Read More

5 Common Issues that May Turn Up During a Title Search

The process of purchasing a home can be quite complicated, but one step that many people really don’t understand is the title search. While it may appear that it is a waste of time and money, nothing could be further from the truth. When done properly, a title search can discover a number of issues that could save you from significant problems in both the short term and down the road. The following five issues are Read More

What to Do When Your Tenant Damages the Property

Anyone who has ever served as a landlord likely understands that renting out property is rarely a walk in the park. Landlords often get a bad reputation due to a select few who take advantage of their perceived position of power over their renters, but there are just as many, if not more tenants who abuse the property, break the law, fail to pay rent, and take advantage of the landlord’s kindness. Both tenants and Read More

3 Potential Ways to Terminate a Florida Pre-Construction Contract

Just because you’ve signed a pre-construction contract on a Florida home or condo does not always mean you are completely locked into the transaction. Circumstances in our lives can change in an instant, and as a buyer it may become necessary for you to attempt to terminate your pre-construction contract. However, pre-construction condo and home deposits are significant, and no one wants to lose that money if they Read More

A Step-by-Step Guide to Florida Residential Foreclosures

Almost all foreclosures will of course begin with the homeowner missing payments on their mortgage. Usually, the lender will not take action against you until you have missed three payments. Once this occurs, the official foreclosure process will begin. Step 1 - The homeowner will be served with a breach letter from the lender stating that they have defaulted on their loan. Mortgages include an Acceleration clause Read More

Buying Real Estate in Florida through Probate

The term “probate property” refers to property that someone inherits upon another’s death. As soon as the administration of an estate is commenced and a Personal Representative is appointed, probate real estate information becomes available at the county courthouse – even if the Personal Representative has manifested no interest in selling it. If you’re interested in buying probate real estate, you can access Read More

New Closing Rules

The new settlement/closing rules by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) on residential properties began on October 3, 2015.  Borrowers of residential real estate were given new disclosure forms after that date.  Prior to October 3, 2015, Truth-in-Lending Act-RESPA integrated disclosures (TRID) included the initial and final Truth-in-Lending Act forms, Good Faith Estimate (GFE) and the HUD-1 or Settlement Read More

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