Real Estate Investing 101 and Beyond

Well, yes. Landlords have been very chatty about an addition to Florida's landlord tenant statute that requires screens on rental units to be in good working order.  It is petty, yes. Is it typical of Florida as a tenant friendly state, yes. However, before getting too riled up, consider the other suprisingly landlord friendly revisions and additions. Landlords May Now Accept Partial Rent : If partial rent is accepted after posting the notice for nonpayment, the landlord must post a new three day notice reflecting the new amount due or provide the tenant a receipt showing amount and date received and balance due and date is due then place the amount received in the court registry upon filing the action for possession.   No Automatic Dismissal For Defective Notices : FL Stat. 83.60 was specifically amended to state, “The landlord must be given an opportunity to cure a deficiency in a notice or in the pleadings before dismissal of the action...

I didn’t plan on making another blog post for two weeks, but my time at the office this morning changed my mind. This morning alone, I have spoken to 4 people about buying property at the tax deed sale. Over the last 2 months I have seen a dramatic increase in consultations for the same subject. What’s the deal? Has there been a recent investor seminar on tax deeds that has sparked everyone’s interest? According to the Florida Bar News, foreclosure filings are down by half which, by the way, is the exact opposite of what was expected once the foreclosure laws were changed making it easier for creditors to obtain a summary judgment. It stands to reason that if foreclosure filings are down, short sales are also down and so it REO inventory. Where is an investor to find inventory these days? Looks like people are starting to explore the Tax Deed Sale. Here are some things to consider: 1.       As of today, the Orange County Comptroller shows that at their O...

Dear Clients, Friends and Family, Richards Law Firm is embarking on a new journey into social media. Any of you that know me will get a kick out of this little endeavor since I am the least techie person on the face of the planet. I suppose my first post should be about why I am going through the hassle. So here it goes. I became a TN attorney in 2006, married a Florida boy in 2008 and was licensed in Florida in 2009. Once I married a real estate investor I saw my practice make a 180 degree shift from consumer protection to real estate law in what seemed like an overnight span of time. Additionally, the turn was more specifically towards real estate investing . Technically, there is no distinction between the practice of real estate law and real estate investing law nor is it designated by the Florida Bar as an area in which an attorney can call themselves an "expert", but anyone that works with investors knows that it should be. I am...