Family Owned Real Estate: Legal Challenges & Opportunities
Once Removed Episode 21: Passing Down the “Family Cottage” or Other Legacy Property
War of the Rosas
On Tuesday, in Lehmann v. WFV Holdings, LLC, Record No. 0201-23-2 (Ct. App. Va. May 14, 2024), available here, the Court of Appeals of Virginia reversed a decision from the Circuit Court of Amelia County, holding that because...more
Owners of real property generally understand that their property rights can be impacted by litigation in which they are a party. However, what’s less clear, but perhaps equally important to understand and guard against, is...more
In In re Estate of Stewart, siblings filed claims regarding the administration of their father’s estate. No. 04-20-00103-CV, 2021 Tex. App. LEXIS 3897 (Tex. App.—San Antonio May 19, 2021, no pet. history)....more
In Pense v. Bennett, the ward in a guardianship proceeding sued to invalidate the sale of real property from a trust created for his benefit to an affiliate of the trustee. No. 06-20-00030-CV, 2020 Tex. App. LEXIS 8002 (Tex....more
On 24 January 2020, the Court of Appeal delivered its judgment in Aljawharah Bint Ibrahim Abdulaziz Alibrahim v Asturion Fondation ([2020] EWCA Civ 32) in relation to the question of whether “warehousing” constitutes an abuse...more
In Leland House v. Webb, a husband sued his deceased wife’s executor to quiet title in real estate that she obtained from her aunt. No. 06-19-00054-CV, 2019 Tex. App. LEXIS 10012 (Tex. App.—Texarkana November 19, 2019, no...more
Buckingham Tax Attorneys Steve Dimengo and Rich Fry recently obtained a favorable ruling from the 9th District Court of Appeals for their client in Karvo Paving Co. v. Testa, 2019-Ohio-3974. This victory enables highway and...more
The Tel Aviv District Court handed down a decision a few days ago rejecting the Israel Tax Authority’s (ITA) position on the conveyance of real estate properties to trusts. This decision dramatically changes the taxation of...more
If a Buyer breaches an Agreement of Sale and refuses to buy the property, can the Seller seek specific performance as a remedy? A 2019 Superior Court decision concluded yes....more
Flaster Greenberg’s seasoned elder law attorney, Jane M. Fearn-Zimmer, obtained a landmark Medicaid Final Agency Decision for her elderly, ailing client and her family after a three-year long dispute with the New Jersey...more
In Graff v. 2920 Park Grove Venture, Ltd., an executor was sued after selling estate real estate because the executor allegedly sold the property for less than fair market value. No. 05-16-01411-CV, 2018 Tex. App. LEXIS 4266...more
In Lance v. Robinson, No. 16-0323, 2018 Tex. LEXIS 246 (Mar. 23, 2018), the Texas Supreme Court confirmed that when deciding a summary judgment motion, a court may consider evidence not attached to the motion as long as the...more
In Knopf v. Gray, the will disposed of the testator’s entire estate, specifically including a tract of land. No. 17-0262, 2018 Tex. LEXIS 249 (Tex. March 23, 2018)....more
We like when families can work out their estate disputes outside of the courtroom. Georgia, for one, embraces the “family settlement doctrine,” where heirs at law can agree to distribute or divide property devised under a...more
North Carolina is a "pure race" state, for real estate title purposes. That is, “first to record an interest in land holds an interest superior to all other purchases for value, regardless of actual or constructive notice as...more
In RB Alden Corp. v. Commonwealth, No. 73 F.R. 2011 (Pa. Commw. June 15, 2016), the court addressed the taxpayer’s liability for 2006 Corporate Net Income (CNI) Tax on gain from the sale of part of its interest in a...more
As the seller of real property, you might have heard: “Don’t worry, that warranty won’t survive the closing.” Or, you may have assumed that because the purchase agreement stated that certain representations and warranties did...more
In Mountain Air Enterprises LLC v. Sundowner Towers LLC, 2014 DJDAR 15552, the California Court of Appeal for the First Appellate District decided a complex contractual dispute. The litigation involved several different...more
Mano-Y&M Ltd. v. Field (In re Mortgage Store, Inc.), 773 F.3d 990 (9th Cir. 2014) – A chapter 7 trustee sought to avoid a transfer by the debtor as a fraudulent conveyance and then to recover funds disbursed by the...more
In the area of family law, there are many different types of proceedings that occur. However, when one of the proceedings is a record hearing, if an objection is not made to a particular issue, it is waived on appeal....more
The Court of Appeal recently clarified when a party can recover attorney's fees under a real estate purchase contract that is ruled to be illegal. California courts have previously enforced attorney's fees provisions in a...more
Recently, in Marco Crane & Rigging Co. v. Masaryk, 703 Ariz. Adv. Rep. 29 (Dec. 30, 2014), the Arizona Court of Appeals established that a subcontractor on a residential project has no lien rights against an owner-occupant,...more
In 926 North Ardmore Avenue, LLC v. County of Los Angeles, the 2nd District Court of Appeal held that Proposition 13 changes in ownership prompted by transfers of legal entity interests should also be characterized as “realty...more
926 North Ardmore Avenue, LLC v. County of Los Angeles, (9/22/14, B248536) - The California Court of Appeals has recently held that, as a general rule, the Documentary Transfer Tax (“DTT”) applies whenever there is a...more
The California Court of Appeal recently held that a foreclosure by the beneficiary under a first deed of trust extinguished a junior lien, even though the beneficiary acquired the property by way of a deed in lieu of...more