Articles
Harvey S. Jacobs has a long, established history of writing about legal issues. His articles have been published all over, with his column “The House Lawyer” being published in the Washington Post for over a decade.
The most misunderstood clause in a real estate contract: The financing contingency
By Harvey S. Jacobs July 20, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. EDT In the home-buying process, buyers and sellers should negotiate to write contingencies into their contract to mitigate risk. For example, sellers may want to condition their obligation to sell on finding and...
The changing laws on remote online notarization
By Harvey S. Jacobs June 22, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. EDT On July 25, 2000, the first paperless real estate transaction took place in Broward County in Florida. That transaction involved a home purchase and financing and took less than five minutes to record. Immediately,...
What should be in your property management contract
Published on May 27, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. EDT Q: Over the years we have acquired a small residential rental portfolio that we self-manage. Despite the current market uncertainty, we believe the market for rentals will be strong for the foreseeable future. We want to...
The risks and benefits of rent-to-own agreements
Published May 6, 2020 at 7:30 a.m. EDT Q: We have a flip that we put on the market right before the coronavirus crisis hit. The target buyer for our house is a first-time home buyer relying on a government-backed loan, and showings have dropped to zero. We want to...
Check your real estate contract to see if it covers the coronavirus outbreak
Published on April 14, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. EDT The unprecedented coronavirus pandemic is having a major impact on real estate transactions. Parties under contract to buy or sell their homes are concerned about their contract’s viability and their legal rights under that...
How to maximize your after-tax profits on the sale of an investment property
A 1031 exchange allows you to defer liability for all federal capital gains and depreciation recapture taxes. (iStock) Published in the Washington Post March 9, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. EDT Q: I am selling a house in the District of Columbia that I bought 10 years ago,...
Getting ready for your home closing? Make sure you know where that email on where to send the money is coming from.
Scammers send massive numbers of malware-embedded emails containing real estate settlement subject lines such as: “URGENT There is a problem with your settlement.” Innocent home buyers fear something may have gone awry with their settlement and open and/or click on...
Hawaii’s volcanic eruption could stop a home sale. Read the fine print.
The Washington Post - Real Estate Section Hawaii’s volcanic eruption could stop a home sale. Read the fine print. By Harvey S. Jacobs June 8, 2018 Q: I’m about to close on a home purchase on the Big Island of Hawaii. Because of recent volcanic activity, I am concerned...
Top Ten Issues Affecting Real Estate 2017-2018
The prestigious Counselors of Real Estate (CRE.ORG), an organization comprised of 1100 real estate professionals from around the world, annually compiles the Top Ten Issues Affecting Real Estate 2017-2018. The CRE released their list at the June National...