» Real Estate

A family cottage can be a gathering place that brings loved ones together generations to come. Unfortunately, without a proper succession plan, disputes over ownership and operation can lead to litigation among the family. Consider the example of a c… Read More

Retaining a principal residence exemption (“PRE”) can sometimes be tricky. (The PRE exempts a homeowner’s principal residence from property taxes levied for school operating expenses.) Naturally, the tax assessor wants to collect every tax doll… Read More

Recently, frantic ads have warned that thieves can record forged documents to steal title to your home. While title theft insurance companies claim to offer protection to homeowners, there are a few things to consider before purchasing a policy: A fo… Read More

In early spring of 2019, a home was damaged by fire, nearly a year after the homeowner’s death. The heirs submitted a claim under the homeowner’s policy, which had been issued in the name of the deceased. The insurance carrier denied the claim, c… Read More

In the 1960s, the owner of lakefront property sold two parcels that were not on the lakefront and granted a 20-foot-wide easement across his lakefront parcel “for access to [the] Lake.” The owners of the “back lots” installed a dock w… Read More

A few weeks ago, I used this forum to write about the importance of purchase agreements in every real estate transaction. This time I want to address title insurance. With each real estate deal, sellers need to make sure they own what they’re selli… Read More

Because it sets forth the terms of sale and the relative rights and obligations of the parties, the purchase agreement remains the single most important document in any real estate transaction – residential or commercial. While not all purchase agr… Read More

There’s an old proverb, “Let the buyer beware.” A recent opinion issued by the Michigan Court of Appeals (Galvan v Poon, Mich App No. 76047, August 19, 2021), however, has turned this time-honored legal principle a bit on its head. In Michigan,… Read More