South Florida Law Blog

After the horrific collapse of the Champlain Towers in Surfside, the Governor signed into law that structural inspections are required of most condos over 30 years old, or 25 years old if located within three miles of the coast.  Reports of these inspections must be presented to condo owners, condo associations, and local municipalities. If the inspections show major structural […]

According to a 2022 Census report, Florida now is the fastest-growing state for the first time since 1957 and the third largest state besides California and Texas. Florida’s population increased by 1.9% to 22,244,823 between 2021 and 2022. Since 1946, Florida’s percentage increase in population has fluctuated but remained positive. The advent of air conditioning in the 1950s brought increased […]

Who Really Benefits? Homeowner Benefit Agreements are a type of controversial residential listing agreement between the homeowner and a real estate broker. For an upfront fee paid by the real estate broker to the homeowner, these agreements provide that the real estate broker will be the exclusive listing agent for the future sale of the homeowner’s property and shall be […]

With mortgage interest rates breaking 7% as the Federal Reserve attempts to quell inflation,  there is much “doom and gloom” news about the housing market. The National Association of Realtors report decreased home contracts falling for the fourth straight month in September, down 31% compared to last September.  A typical homebuyer in October paid 77% more on their loan per […]

With increased mortgage interest rates, many sellers are debating whether to sell their homes. These sellers face the same issue as many potential home buyers: pressure from rising interest rates. Why? Unless a seller obtains a cash buyer for their property, many home buyers may not be able to afford the home they wish because of increasing interest rates. In […]

You don’t have to read  beyond the headlines to know that prices are up, and interest rates have virtually doubled in the past twenty four months.  In addition, many people have chosen not to look at their 401(k) plans or other investments because both have been down due to the current economic climate. The question is: How are these factors […]

OVERVIEW: Market effects of real estate Overproduction Purchasing less consumer goods With mortgage rates surging past 6% this week, the cost of home ownership is becoming more out of reach for borrowers. Some borrowers are deciding to wait, hoping that prices and rates will fall as the overall market and inflation slows with it. Other home buyers, however, are opting […]

Real Estate deed fraud unfortunately is on the rise. Recently, the Sun Sentinel reported that a property owner’s vacant land was sold by a person who pretended that he was the actual landowner in order to obtain the proceeds of a fraudulent mortgage refinancing. Initially, the alleged fraudster created a company using his name as the owner of the property […]