Real Estate Blog

COVID-19 Closing Conundrum…

The impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) on business relationships is still a huge unknown, and we are all aware of how much uncertainty it has injected into our daily lives. Fortunately, the good people at the Florida Bar and the Florida Association of Realtors had the foresight to consider an event like this when drafting…

Your COVID-19 Closing Related Questions, answered by Berlin Patten Ebling

We know you are all tired of receiving COVID-19 related bulletins, but due to the flood of questions we have received on the topic, we felt that this would be a useful and timely topic. This Q&A will answer some of the most common questions we have received over the last few days. We will…

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Is your closing at risk?

The team at Berlin Patten Ebling, PLLC is extremely sensitive to the impacts of the coronavirus (COVID-19). The effects of COVID-19 have prevented or delayed performance across virtually all sectors. Fortunately, we have yet to see very little impact to the local real estate industry and we are still seeing robust market activity, great attendance…

Protect Yourself

When putting together an offer for a buyer, one thing that is often overlooked is insurance. Depending on the property’s location, and whether financing is involved, the requirement to purchase Homeowner’s Insurance and/or flood Insurance may change. Although insurance is an important consideration even if financing is not involved, a buyer that is required to…

Lien Back…

Did you know that Florida law allows municipalities to put a lien against property without actually recording the lien until they feel like it? And if these liens are not recorded at the time a buyer purchases the property, they will not show up in a standard title search. That means a buyer may…

Homestead Exemption Revocation: Welcome to Florida, Now Pay the Tax Man!

Knock, knock, BOOM…this is the sound you hear when opening a notice of tax lien from your local property appraiser. The property appraiser’s letter states that you have 30 days to pay taxes, penalties, and interest, or there will be a tax lien filed on your home. There must be some mistake…how did this…

I Love You…Now Sign This!

It’s that time of year again. Love is in the air, and spouses all over the state of Florida are scrambling to come up with the perfect way to show their significant other that they love and appreciate them. For far too long, spouses have stuck to the same unimaginative and uninspiring routine of…

Love Tax Exemptions? Don’t Forget to File!

Roses are red, Gators are orange and blue, it’s the season of love and applying for tax exemptions too! It’s that time of the year when new homeowners are settling into their homes, and with so many tasks and deadlines, it is easy for homeowners to forget about applying for property tax exemptions and discounts.…

Buying Somebody Else’s Problem

We are frequently asked what happens when a buyer takes title to property that is occupied by a tenant. The answer: the new owner takes ownership subject to any rights that the tenant may still have to continue occupying the property, and also receives any rights that the seller had (for instance, the right to receive…

Use Caution When Attempting to Reduce Commissions in the Contract

Every once in awhile I see handwritten clauses added to Section 20. Additional Terms of the Contract that attempt to reduce the commission that will be paid by the Seller to the Realtors at the Closing of the transaction. This typically happens when Brokers agree to a reduced commission as an enticement for the…