Amassing 10 to 20 percent of a purchase price for a down payment is a steep barrier to home ownership for first time home buyers. The Washington Post reports that real estate agents see a steady decline in first-time and young home buyers in the market. This year, the Virginia General Assembly created a new estate […]
Marcella and Ralph Bracamonte brought Diane Stretton into their Upland, California home to provide childcare services in exchange for room and board. Ms. Stretton and the Bracamontes got into a dispute over their arrangement. Ms. Stretton stopped working and refuses to move out. Why is this story national news? The answer illustrates some pitfalls of […]
In lawsuits over real estate, attorney’s fees awards are a frequent topic of conversation. In Virginia, unless there is a statute or contract to the contrary, a court may not award attorney’s fees to the prevailing party. This general rule provides an incentive to the public to make reasonable efforts to conduct their own affairs […]
Can a homeowner block a foreclosure by filing for bankruptcy protection immediately after the bank-appointed trustee auctions the property? On June 2, 2014, a bankruptcy court judge ruled that Rachel Ulrey’s Roanoke property was not excluded from the bankruptcy estate because the foreclosure trustee completed the memorandum of sale prior to the court filing. The […]
An engineer must obtain and maintain a Professional Engineer’s license from the APELSCIDLA Board to practice in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Pursuant to professional regulations, when an engineer, or other design professional, completes a set of drawings, he affixes his professional seal with the date and signature. His seal displays his professional license number. This […]