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.
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...
How your real estate assets can provide a big payoff to charity
With the richest men in the world such as Bill Gates, Warren Buffett and Mark Zuckerberg giving away their fortunes, you may wonder whether you have similar options and what the tax benefits would be. Chase Magnuson, director of the Planned Giving Department-Real...
Montgomery Co. considers controversial bill requiring home sellers to test for radon
By Harvey S. Jacobs October 30, 2015 In Maryland, home sellers who know that their homes have elevated radon levels are required to disclose that information to prospective buyers. However, at present, home sellers have no duty to measure the radon levels in their...
How to figure out the value of your home
By Harvey S. Jacobs June 25, 2015 I co-own a rowhouse in the hot U Street area with my ex-partner. He wants to buy me out of the property which has appreciated quite a bit since we purchased it in 2001. My ex has proposed a selling price. When I ask how he determined...
Taking a stand against an unsatisfactory hardwood floor
By Harvey S. Jacobs June 12, 2015 We have lived in our newly built townhome for a little over one year. The builder advertised it as luxury, upscale and high-end. We have had numerous problems, but the biggest one is the hardwood flooring. The flooring was an issue...