Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Clarifying New Laws For Condominium Buildings After Surfside Collapse
After the collapse of Champlain Towers South in Surfside in June 2021, Florida’s legislature sought to learn from the tragedy. In time, they passed laws seeking to limit the possibility of a similar disaster in the future, including increasing the frequency and requirements of ‘milestone’ inspections, and pledging to base their future plans on… Read More »
Do I Have To Join My New Home’s HOA?
A prospective Florida home buyer is a person who has fairly firm preferences on what they are looking for in a place to live. Many, especially those coming from out of state, are firmly set against joining a homeowners’ association (HOA). However, data from Today’s Homeowner shows that around 45 percent of all Floridian… Read More »
How To Keep An Eviction Legal
If a landlord and a tenant enter into a lease contract, both parties are required to act in a way that upholds the terms of the lease at all times. This includes the terms that govern breaking that lease or otherwise terminating it, such as by eviction. A landlord must conduct an eviction in… Read More »
Real Estate Attorneys & Florida Closings
A closing is a proceeding at which the sale of a piece of property becomes final. These proceedings can be either quite simple, or can be complex, involving a host of different questions and understandings. If you are a buyer or seller approaching your closing, it is crucial to understand your rights and responsibilities… Read More »
When A Tenant Breaks A Lease
In general, it is never a good idea to break a lease, either as a tenant or a landlord, but there are moments when there may be no other choice. Whether due to harassment, safety issues, or an obligation like being called up to the military, it is important that a tenant’s choosing to… Read More »
What Is A Latent Defect In Florida Real Estate?
If you are looking to purchase real property in Florida, it is crucial to be aware of the obligations on both the buyer and the seller. Transparency is key for both parties, as Florida case law requires that sellers in particular disclose relevant information about the home or land. Failure to do so can… Read More »
Can I Rent Out My Home Or Condo?
Florida’s real estate market seems to constantly be in a state of flux in this day and age, and more and more people are purchasing homes and condos in order to put down roots where they can. However, a phenomenon that is becoming more common in some associations is people or business entities purchasing… Read More »
Why Do I Need Title Insurance?
When someone wants to invest in real estate, there are quite a lot of details to keep straight, and it is all too easy to forget something you may need. Title insurance can make all the difference in protecting your rights to the property you have just acquired, particularly if the seller is less… Read More »
Who Watches The Watchers? Florida’s Condominium Act
According to the most recent available data, Florida is the U.S. state with the second highest number of community associations, with roughly 38 percent of that number being condo boards. Condominium associations are similar to, yet different from, homeowners’ associations (HOAs), requiring different powers for their boards of directors. Florida law has two different… Read More »
Who Owns Florida’s Beachfront?
Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) estimates that the state has roughly 825 miles of sandy coastline, serving as an enormous draw for both investors and tourists. Of that mileage, roughly 60 percent is privately owned – but there have been debates for many years as to just who owns the rest. If you… Read More »