Aging in Place

No. 1,612 Fannie Mae, the government agency that keeps the residential financing market moving, reports that those greedy seniors are holding 1.6 million housing units off the market. Prior generations sold their homes at a younger age, making more quality housing available for young families. Of course, the reason why more of us are aging […]

Realtor Suggests promoting Non-profits at Open House Showings.

No. 1,606 Gina Mercorelli, real estate agent, suggests that home sellers partner with non-profits whom they support to raise donations at open houses. She states that organizations like the Pittsburgh Food Bank could benefit from such an appeal and it may also attract traffic from neighbors, who are a good source of referrals for the […]

Pittsburgh High on List of Home Improvement Lending.

No. 1,537

Q: What License Do You Need to Manage Rental Properties for Others?

No. 1,492 A: You need a Pennsylvania Real Estate Broker’s License. No kidding. It doesn’t matter that you are managing Pennsylvania properties for clients who live out of the state, Of course, you don’t need a license to manage your own property. No, a power of attorney will not work. Don’t try leasing it yourself […]

The Tree That Owns Itself, Athens Georgia.

No. 1,478 Of course, a tree cannot own land under the law, but everybody in Athens Georgia accepts the small testamentary land grant to a beloved tree, including the City, which maintains the tree. Actually, the original tree, which was quite ancient, was destroyed in a wind storm in 1942 and community members planted a […]

Common Level Ratio Down (slightly) in Allegheny County

No. 1,341 Every year the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue announces a new common level ratio, effective July 1. It is a factor multiplied by the assessment which gives a calculation of the fair market value for purposes of paying realty transfer tax when a deed is recorded for no or nominal consideration. It is created […]

Docu-phish!

No. 1,333 If you have been involved in a real estate transaction in recent times you have probably used Docusign or some equivalent electronic signature software. It is a real estate agent’s dream. They can obtain an electronic signature quickly and easily via the internet. However, a well-known app that can be used for legitimate […]

The Appraiser Shortage Strikes Again.

No. 1,317 DS News, a newsletter for mortgage servicers and lenders, reports that that there are serious shortages of residential real estate appraisers, especially in four western states. The article says that in busy areas there can be delays up to six weeks. Those of us who have been in the real estate market in […]

Real Estate: Non-owning Spouse May Not Be Required to Join in the Deed

For a very long time, real estate lawyers and title insurance companies have rightly required spouses to join in conveyances of land, even when they clearly do not have an record interest in the property.

Washington County Pennsylvania Reassessment Appeals Begin

No. 1,273 If you are a landowner in Washington County, you probably received your notice of assessment. You have 40 days to file an appeal. We went through this process in Allegheny County twice in the last decade. The experience of Allegheny County should be helpful, but Washington County has some unique problems. The Marcellus […]

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Welcome

CLIFF TUTTLE has been a Pennsylvania lawyer for over 45 years and (inter alia) is a real estate litigator and legal writer. The posts in this blog are intended to provide general information about legal topics of interest to lawyers and consumers with a Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania focus. However, this information does not constitute legal advice and there is no lawyer-client relationship created when you read this blog. You are encouraged to leave comments but be aware that posted comments can be read by others. If you wish to contact me in privacy, please use the Contact Form located immediately below this message. I will reply promptly and in strict confidence.

Pittsburgh Legal Back Talk

Legal topics of interest to lawyers and consumers with a Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania focus.

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