Blog Posts

Home is where the Homestead is, where that sweet tax break allows you to live comfortably for years without the constant tap of exponentially increasing property taxes on your door. However, blended families can create a unique risk to homestead exemption.

There was a man with two parcels of land. He had a single mortgage for both, but two separate tax bills. When the Man failed to pay his mortgage, the Bank foreclosed, but the Bank only paid the taxes on one of the two parcels of land.

Andy and Rhonda live together as boyfriend and girlfriend in a beautiful home, in a beautiful relationship. Andy is older, and has four grown children from a previous marriage. The home title is only in his name, and he wants his children to inherit it eventually, but wants to protect Rhonda.

Question: If the City has property, but it’s landlocked, is it a good real estate investment?

Answer: Not if you want to make money.

A deed is the written version of an exchange of a clod of earth from the old English laws of real estate sales, according to my brother, attorney Rusty Collins. In Florida, a deed is valid with: Conveyance, a Buyer and Seller, Consideration, and a Property Description. But it can’t be recorded without a Notary. The Conveyance has to be signed, witnessed, and delivered along with the other elements mentioned above. The Notary doesn’t validate the Conveyance; the Notary makes the Conveyance recordable.

Bob and Susie were boyfriend and girlfriend, and ten years ago they bought a house together. It was Bob’s understanding that he was the only one going on title because he was the only one borrowing the money for the purchase.