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Purchasing Real Estate

Broker Involvement is a Key Exemption to California’s Usury Law

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What is “usury”, and how are you protected from it?

In making of loans to conventional real estate buyers and “flippers”, investors should remember that for most private transactions, California enforces its usury law against What is usury?excessive interest charges, with certain exemptions for seller carry back loans, and loans “made or arranged” by a licensed broker.

Usury is defined as charging a rate of interest in excess of the legal limit, and for personal, family or household purposes it is 10% per year, and for loans for “any other purpose”, the legal rate is either 10% per year, or 5% per year plus the federal discount rate that exists on the 25th day of the month preceding the date of the loan contract or date the loan was made, whichever is greater. The rate is set by California’s constitution, but there are exceptions for federal banks, credit card companies, and other institutional lenders, including the VA and FHA.

Investment loans used to purchase, build or improve real estate, also known as “hard money loans”, are considered loans for “any other purpose” and are subject to the higher of the 10% rate or the rate based upon the federal discount rate. Read more Broker Involvement is a Key Exemption to California’s Usury Law ›

A Real Property Co-Ownership Agreement Can Reduce Disputes

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Real estate investor partners: Is your word good enough?

Legal Documents: How you sign is as important as what you signWith prices appreciating, and loan rates and inventory low, there is an increased willingness to own real property by two or more investors who need to combine their capital and/or credit to participate in buying, and flipping or renting the property.  Often, the investors’ focus is on selecting the property or raising the down payment, with little or no consideration for what happens if co-owners disagree, one wants  out, or the optimistic expectations are not realized.

A popular formula in the current flipping frenzy is for one investor to obtain the loan because of a superior credit rating and taking title, while the silent investor contributes funds for the down payment, and perhaps occupies the property as a de facto tenant paying “rent” as the monthly mortgage payment, and sharing the insurance, taxes, and other costs of the property.  This allows the purchase and investment by investors who could not otherwise participate by themselves, and increases the number of players in the market. Read more A Real Property Co-Ownership Agreement Can Reduce Disputes ›

Who’s At Fault When a Real Estate Transaction Doesn’t Close? Section 3543 May Be A Tie-Breaker

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With Deception, Comes Consequence

For transactions with a middleman that deceives both the seller and buyer, section 3543 of California’s Civil Code can break the tie where both parties are negligent, statingSection 3543 can break ties in real estate negligence where one of two innocent persons must suffer by the act of a third (i.e., middleman), he, by whose negligence it happened, must be the sufferer. Huh? What does not mean in simple English?

In other words, if both parties are negligent in closing a sale after being deceived by the middleman, the one who is more responsible for the loss must suffer and bear the loss. That appears easier to understand, but the application of section 3543 depends on the facts.

First, being the victim of deception can be interpreted as negligence or unreasonable conduct, a rather sad commentary on our internet society that almost demands that you mistrust, confirm and verify everything you may be told. So it may not be enough to prevail by claiming there was no resisting the false promises or conduct of the middleman. Read more Who’s At Fault When a Real Estate Transaction Doesn’t Close? Section 3543 May Be A Tie-Breaker ›

A 1031 Tax Deferred Exchange Can Delay Payment of the Taxes Owed On the Sale and Subsequent Purchase of Business and Investment Property

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Forry Law Group: Real Estate and Civil AttorneysQ:  I have a residence that I have been renting and I want to sell it, delay payment of the capital gain tax, and then purchase an office building.  Can I use a 1031 tax deferred exchange to delay payment of the tax I would otherwise have to pay?

A:  Subject to the extensive tax code and rules and regulations of the IRS, the use of an exchange of property under section 1031 of the tax code should be considered as a method of delaying payment of the capital gains tax owed on the proceeds of the sale of relinquished property.  However, it is a relatively complex transfer of real property that has significant tax issues, and the advice of a qualified and trustworthy accommodator should be sought before making a decision about using a 1031 tax deferred exchange. Read more A 1031 Tax Deferred Exchange Can Delay Payment of the Taxes Owed On the Sale and Subsequent Purchase of Business and Investment Property ›

There Are Four Basic Forms of Ownership of Real Property and Each Have Unique Characteristics

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How you take title in a home purchase is very important.Q:   Because my wife and I cannot afford the down payment on our first residence by ourselves, her father has offered to provide 100% of the down payment so long as he is a co-owner of the property and can share in any appreciation in value of the property, and we make all of the mortgage payments.  What options do we have in specifying how the grant deed to the property should be prepared to provide my father-in-law with a recorded interest? Read more There Are Four Basic Forms of Ownership of Real Property and Each Have Unique Characteristics ›

Contingencies in the Sale Transaction Are an Important Right of a Buyer

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Forry Law Group: Real Estate and Civil AttorneysQ: I am a first time home buyer and my agent mentioned that I may want to request “contingencies” in addition to those provided in the standard residential purchase agreement because of the characteristics of the type of homes we have been researching. What are contingencies and what should I consider in determining which contingencies to include in my offer? Read more Contingencies in the Sale Transaction Are an Important Right of a Buyer ›

A Buyer Has Remedies if a Seller Refuses to Execute an Escrow Amendment for Return of the Buyer’s Deposit

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What recourse does a property buyer have when cancelling their purchase during the contact's contingency period?Q:   I entered into a residential purchase agreement and during the contingency period, I determined that I would not be able to develop the property the way I want to because of the zoning restrictions.  I gave timely notice to the seller of the exercise of my right to cancel the agreement, but the seller has refused to sign the document the escrow company says it needs to cancel the escrow and return my deposit.  What can I do to get my deposit back?

A:  In the California Association of Realtors residential purchase agreement (“RPA”), a buyer has a certain period of time to perform investigations of the property and provide the seller with a notice of the buyer’s cancellation of the contract.  If the buyer gives written notice of cancellation pursuant to the rights of the buyer under the RPA, both the buyer and seller agree to sign mutual instructions to cancel the sale and escrow and release deposits back to the buyer, less the fees and costs incurred.  The RPA provides that release of the funds will require mutual signed release instructions that are typically provided by the escrow company handling the transaction.  Most escrow companies will require the execution of such instructions, in the form of amendments to the escrow, to disburse the funds being held by the escrow company event if it appears that the buyer has a clear right to the money on deposit. Read more A Buyer Has Remedies if a Seller Refuses to Execute an Escrow Amendment for Return of the Buyer’s Deposit ›

The California Residential Purchase Agreement Has Significant Improvements

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Residential Purchase AgreementQ: I have not purchased a home for many years and my agent mentioned that the California Association of Realtors has revised the standard residential purchase agreement. Is this true and how has the agreement been changed?

A: The California Residential Purchase Agreement and Joint Escrow Instructions (“RPA”) has not been changed for many years, but a new version has been issued by the CAR effective April 2010 that makes several significant improvements that should help to make the agreement easier to use and understand. Some of the improvements are to the order of the paragraphs and others are to the content of the provisions. The RPA constitutes an offer and if it is accepted without any counter‐offers, it will constitute a binding contract. Therefore, it is the most important document in the transaction that is supplemented by the other forms in the transaction.

The RPA is prepared by the buyer of the residence, usually with the assistance of an agent. The agency relationship paragraphs have been moved from the end of the RPA to the first page, and this is important because the disclosure and confirmation of the real estate agency relationships is one of the more problematic issues in the transaction, especially if a single agent is representing both the seller and buyer. By moving the agency paragraph to the first page, it assists both the seller and buyer to confirm their respective agency relationships prior to completing the other sections of the RPA. Read more The California Residential Purchase Agreement Has Significant Improvements ›

Mediation is Required to Obtain Attorney Fees in a Dispute Arising Out of a Residential Purchase Agreement

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Q:   I recently purchased a residence and I signed a standard California Association of Realtors Residential Purchase Agreement.  I now believe that there are defects in the home that were not disclosed to me by the seller and I want to file a lawsuit and recover my attorney fees.  The Agreement has a provision for mediation, but do I need to request mediation before filing a lawsuit?

Mediation is Required to Obtain Attorney Fees in a Dispute Arising Out of a Residential Purchase Agreement A:  It depends.  There is no requirement to mediate before filing a lawsuit against the seller or any broker involved in the transaction, unless there has been an agreement to arbitrate.  If the parties agree to arbitrate and one of them files a lawsuit, the other party can file a motion with the court to stay the lawsuit and compel the arbitration.

However, pursuant to paragraph 26(A) in the recently revised C.A.R. Residential Purchase Agreement, both the buyer and seller agree to mediate any dispute or claim arising between them out of the Agreement, or any resulting transaction, before resorting to arbitration or court action.  The mediation provision applies even if the parties have not agreed to arbitrate.  The buyer and seller also agree to mediate any disputes or claims with brokers who agree in writing to such mediation prior to, or within a reasonable time after, the dispute or claim is presented to the Broker.  Except under certain circumstances described below, any party who commences a lawsuit or arbitration without first attempting to resolve the dispute through mediation, or refuses to mediate after a request has been made, is not entitled to recover attorney fees even if they prevail. Read more Mediation is Required to Obtain Attorney Fees in a Dispute Arising Out of a Residential Purchase Agreement ›