Real Estate Law – An Overview

Real estate law includes both federal and state issues, with the state-level rules varying widely from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. These state and federal laws encompass everything from ownership of land and buildings to related issues such as financing, leasing, construction, taxes, and environmental laws. A competent and experienced Florida real estate attorney can protect a party's interests in both routine and complex transactions and disputes relative to Florida real estate.

Brokers

A seller may employ a real estate broker to obtain potential buyers for their property. The seller and the broker usually sign a listing agreement detailing the broker’s commitment to find a buyer with the seller paying the broker's commission at time of sale. A buyer may also employ a real estate broker to use their best efforts to find the right property for their needs. Real estate brokers in Florida are subject to rigorous licensing standards established by Florida law. As an agent, a real estate broker or salesperson has duties and obligations to the person who hired him or her. If an agreement to purchase the property is made, that agreement is strictly between the seller and buyer, and the broker is generally not a party to that agreement. In a typical transaction the broker generally makes no promises about the property.

Real Estate Contracts and Transfers

The agreement to sell between a real estate buyer and seller is governed by the general principles of contract law. The statute of frauds requires that real property contracts be in writing. Title to real estate must be marketable to be free from liability, which means that it must be free and clear of all encumbrances, liens, clouds, litigation risks, or other title defects. To ensure marketable title, the buyer typically employs an attorney or a title insurance company to perform a title search. In a title search, the searcher examines the public records in the county in which a property is located to map a chain of title by examining all the recorded deeds concerning the
property. The title searcher will also determine if there are any encumbrances on the property, such as mortgages, unpaid real estate taxes, liens for municipal improvements, unpaid federal taxes, government claims, legal judgments, foreclosures, condemnations, covenants, and easements. A title insurance company will insure the buyer against losses caused by the title's invalidity.

To pass title, the seller must execute and deliver a deed with a proper description of the land. Many states require that the deed be officially recorded to establish ownership of the property and to provide notice of its transfer to subsequent purchasers.

Mortgages

The most common method of financing a real estate transaction is through a loan secured by a mortgage on the property. A mortgage involves the transfer of an interest in land as security for an obligation. A borrower typically repays a mortgage in installments that include both interest and principal payments. If the borrower doesn't make payments, foreclosure can result, with the lender declaring that the entire mortgage debt is due immediately. Failure to pay the mortgage debt once foreclosure occurs results in the sale of the property to satisfy any remaining mortgage debt.

The actual foreclosure process depends on state law, the terms of the mortgage, and whether other liens exist on the property. Many states allow late payments to avoid foreclosure, and many lenders attempt to work out a payment plan to avoid a foreclosure. If a lender is threatening foreclosure, a borrower should immediately contact a competent and experienced real estate attorney to protect the borrower's interests and pursue all available resolutions.

Conclusion

Real estate transactions in Florida are governed by various federal statutes, Florida statutes, and common law decisions that address a wide variety of legal issues related to acquiring, financing, developing, managing, constructing, leasing, and selling commercial and residential real property. Buying and selling real estate is generally more complicated than buying or selling other expensive goods, such as cars or boats. With real estate, many different people can have an interest in the same property, tax consequences are more complicated, and possession is not necessarily indicative of ownership. An experienced real estate attorney can help you sort through the difficult process of acquiring, owning, leasing and selling real property.