Perhaps it was inevitable that after 98 years, the middle class homeowner in New York (and elsewhere) should have to shoulder more burdensome tax liabilities through the loss of the Home Mortgage Interest Deduction. According to early reports, Congress and the President are about to wage war over removing deductions…
As life becomes complicated, you become incapacitated, you are living alone, or if you just want to be prepared for emergencies; it is very important to organize your important papers so that loved ones can pick up the pieces in a moment’s notice. When I speak to a client who…
So, you signed the retainer with an attorney, litigated a case or resolved the matter, but now have a fee dispute with your lawyer over fees, malpractice, or something else. You are considering a lawsuit against that attorney, or that attorney may have sued you to recover her fees. You…
The plaintiff in McColgan v. Brewer owned a part of what was a larger parcel of property owned by M. Kelley. During construction of the New York State Thruway, the state of New York acquired the middle part of the original Kelley parcel. As a result, Kelley owned two separate…
In today’s real estate market of short sales, mortgages underwater, depressed prices and a buyer’s market, where financing can be a tricky and arduous journey there is one contingency that may protect the buyer– the appraisal contingency, often negotiated by attorneys for real estate buyers. Stated simply, the appraisal contingency…
So, you want to buy a house, condominium, cooperative apartment or vacant land with your significant other in New York. You have been serious about this life partner for years, but you aren’t bound by the typical bonds of legal matrimony. Did you consult with your real estate attorney, did…
Should a lawyer be granted a continuance of a trial because his wife is expecting a baby? Unfortunately, some lawyers didn’t think so, and the expectant father was required to make a motion to federal court to adjourn a trial. The Court, much to its credit, granted the adjournment with…
A famous former New York City mayor prosecuted “quality of life” crimes to “clean up the streets,” but what if that enforcement mentality came to the streets and sidewalks of Nyack. This month, a local resident saw my article in the Nyack Villager, and asked, My problem is with property…
Do you remember the 1990 release of Pacific Heights where the young couple renovates their home and takes a nightmare tenant who refuses to leave. Whether you are a tenant or a homeowner, these river village towns in suburban New York incubate potential problems between unrelated families living under the…
Almost universally as a house closing or refinance closing approaches, I am asked why the itemized cost for “title insurance” is so high. Sometimes, clients even tell me that they do not have to pay for “title insurance” because they are putting more than twenty percent down, but have confused…