» Real Estate Law

As a homebuyer, you’ll want to know how big a check to bring to closing. As a seller, you’ll be interested in the size of the check you’ll be getting. In either case, you probably won’t learn the exact number until a day or two befo… Read More

If you’re looking to sell or buy a home, you’ll probably work with a real estate agent. Most sellers and buyers do. Before you sign a contract with an agent, here are some things you should know. Agents are licensed professionals. Under… Read More

Title insurance is a routine part of almost every home purchase. Actually, there are usually two title insurance policies. The first is the owner’s policy, which the seller typically pays for. If, after the closing, a flaw in the title tu… Read More

If you bought a home from Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, you may have agreed to pay the Michigan transfer tax. Check your settlement statement to see if this was one of the items charged to you. If so, it likely was a whopping expense. The tax… Read More

As you may know, two factors determine the amount of your property tax bill. One is the local millage rate. The other is the taxable value of your property – which is 50% of its market value. When you buy a home, the taxable value is 50%… Read More

From a legal standpoint, a home-based business isn’t much different than any other business. You need to choose a business format – sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, or LLC. And you need to buy insurance, pay taxes, sign co… Read More

In the spring of 2012, real estate agents in the Ann Arbor area switched to a new sales contract form for people who are buying or selling a home. Here are some of the highlights. Waiver of Contingencies. Older versions of the sales contrac… Read More

If you’re buying an existing home, you’ll probably want to make the deal contingent on your being satisfied with inspection reports. There are several kinds of inspections to consider. You can provide for one or more of them in… Read More