Erie E-Law is a complimentary service of the Erie County Bar Association designed to make basic legal information available to you with ease. You can gain access to E-Law either by reading the information found below or by contacting us to request a copy of the transcripts.
Selling a home may well be the largest financial transaction in which you will be involved. It is wise to proceed with caution and be aware of the legal importance of the basic steps involved in selling a home. Most municipalities have enacted zoning ordinances which regulate how land can be used, and for what purpose. Most zoning ordinances set up a system of zoning classifications. The classifications, or zoning districts, which apply to a particular piece of land determine for what purposes the land can be used. When a house, apartment or mobile home is rented the landlord will usually require a tenant to pay a security deposit to cover physical damage to the premises or rent still owing when the tenant moves out. If there is a written lease, read the lease carefully before you sign. Many leases are very harsh to tenants, for example, requiring the tenant to make all repairs. If a lease provision is unacceptable, ask the landlord to change it. If you have fallen behind in your mortgage payments you may find that your lender will start legal proceedings against you. This procedure is called mortgage foreclosure and is the lender's way of getting possession of your house to protect the money they have loaned you. Remember, the lender does not really want your house but it does want the payments to be made. Recent court decisions have narrowed the rights of landlords to take certain actions against their tenants. No longer may a landlord seize and sell a tenant's property for unpaid rent. One of the most common neighborhood disputes regarding real estate involves so-called party driveways, sometimes called common driveways. With a party driveway, the boundary line between the two neighbors runs lengthwise down the middle of the driveway. A land contract is an installment sale agreement for the sale of real estate. Under a land contract, the purchase price for the real estate is paid over time. The buyer may or may not make a down payment, but will usually make monthly payments until the purchase price, plus the interest, are paid in full. When two or more individuals wish to jointly hold title to real estate, there are three choices as to how that group may hold the title. Federal and Pennsylvania state law forbids discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, national origin or whether there are children in your family in connection with the purchase, financing or rental of residential property. Depending on the circumstances, if you have been discriminated against for any of these reasons you may have a legal cause of action against the person or organization responsible.
Selling a Home
Real Estate
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Zoning
Real Estate
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Security Deposits
Real Estate
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Residential Tenant Rights
Real Estate
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Mortgage Foreclosure
Real Estate
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Landlord Rights
Real Estate
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Land Disputes with Neighbors
Real Estate
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Land Contracts
Real Estate
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Shared Ownership of Land
Real Estate
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Housing Discrimination
Real Estate
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