Joshua has written 22 article(s) for the BiggerPockets Blog.
Learn Real Estate by Joshua M. Marks, Esq. | November 19, 2007I. Selecting a Real Estate Agent – Its always a good idea to ask friends, family members and co-workers to suggest a real estate agent with whom they had a very positive experience. You should then sit down and interview two or three agents to learn about their plan for helping you buy your home. [...]
Learn Real Estate by Joshua M. Marks, Esq. | November 12, 2007You would be amazed how many people have come to me over the years with an insurance issue affecting their home. Whether it was a case of coverage being denied due to a lapse in the policy or insufficient coverage to replace valuable antiques and other items destroyed by fire—it is alarming how many people [...]
Real Estate Law by Joshua M. Marks, Esq. | November 5, 2007In recently dealing with a client who wanted to add his fiancée to the deed on his home, although he was to solely remain on the mortgage and note, I was reminded of a quirky case decided by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in 2005. In 1999, Susan and Joseph Muthler purchased a property that was [...]
Real Estate Law by Joshua M. Marks, Esq. | October 29, 2007From the concrete streets of metropolitan cities to the sprawling suburbs in most areas around the country, new construction is present in the form of townhouses, condominiums, single homes and the ever-so-popular “over-55 communities.” While many of these properties are esthetically impressive complete with over-sized family rooms, open kitchen areas, and every upgrade/option imaginable, there [...]
Real Estate Law by Joshua M. Marks, Esq. | October 22, 2007Background of Property Disclosure Laws In the wake of the consumer-rights movement and the increasing influence of realtor organizations around the country, many states began to draft and implement property disclosure laws in the 1980’s that were designed to protect buyers of residential properties. The goal was to protect uninformed and inexperienced buyers in an [...]
Real Estate Law by Joshua M. Marks, Esq. | October 15, 2007Upon signing the agreement of sale in most residential real estate transactions, the buyer pays an “earnest money deposit”, which signifies his intention to purchase the property. Typically, the earnest money deposit is held in the escrow account of the listing broker (who represents the seller) and is applied toward the buyer’s down payment and [...]
Real Estate Law by Joshua M. Marks, Esq. | October 8, 2007Caveat emptor is Latin for “Let the buyer beware”. A recent class-action lawsuit filed in the state of Minnesota is bringing to light a long-standing issue that affects buyers of residential real estate throughout the country—alleged steering of home buyers to affiliated title, settlement and mortgage companies by large realty brokers. This widely utilized practice [...]
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Joshua Dorkin
