Blog

Evicting a tenant over drug activity

We have covered some of the common reasons for eviction on our blog, but in this post we will take a closer look at evicting a tenant due to drug-related activity. There are many different examples of unlawful drug activity that tenants may carry out and some landlords have no

Read More »

Warning signs: Protect yourself from real estate fraud

When looking for a California dream house, it pays seekers to be careful about whom they do business with. Scammers love to take advantage of homeowners, and real estate fraud is just one way they like to do that. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, in 2018, law enforcement

Read More »

Understanding the lease process

Whether a client is looking over a lease in an effort to rent a space from a tenant, or the owner of a space is drafting a lease for a new renter, it is important that the lease accurately portrays all of the information needed for the business transaction. In

Read More »

Who is responsible for water damage: tenants or landlords?

When you rent an apartment or property, it might feel like your landlord has all the power. Any time a scuff appears on the floor or a mark on the wall, you see your security deposit slowly slipping away, but you have renters’ rights covered by California laws If you

Read More »

Does a seller have to disclose lead paint?

You know that lead paint is a safety issue, but you may also be aware that in California and across the country, paint has been lead-free for decades. However, in older homes, the lead-based paint may still be present. Because you just bought an older house, learning about the possibility

Read More »

Understanding partition lawsuits

It is very common for siblings to have very different plans when it comes to their inheritance, but when the asset they receive is California real estate, it may be impossible for the each to get their own way. According to SFGate.com, ideally, both owners would agree to sell the property

Read More »

Documenting deductions from a security deposit

Landlords in Santa Cruz may approach the dates that tenants vacate their properties with a certain amount of trepidation. They could discover that the properties were poorly maintained, and that extensive repairs (or at the very least, a thorough cleaning) are needed before they can be rented again. Of course,

Read More »

Keep your rental: your rights as a tenant

Being served an eviction notice is a terrifying experience. In an instant you realize that you are losing your home, you could miss work due to suddenly being forced to move, you may not be able to afford moving costs and you simply might not have anywhere to go. California

Read More »

Can house flipping flip a scam on you?

House flipping is a perfectly legal way to buy and sell homes, and many people in California do so with no problems. But like other forms of real estate fraud, some sellers who flip houses can flip a scam onto you that bleeds your bank account and leaves you in

Read More »

Honors and Memberships