Amber, Golding & Hofstetter

Table of Contents

1. Overview

2. Practice Areas

3. Properties  Offered for Sale by Our Clients

4. Notes

Overview

    Everyone knows that real estate transactions are complicated. Here are some of the reasons why:

    First, in the US, one doesn't own real property in the same sort of way way that one owns personal property like a pair of shoes. Personal property can be owned outright, but the ownership of real estate involves complicated legal relationships. In the US, no single individual person may own all of the rights associated with a parcel of land.

    Secondly, determining who owns what involves a wide variety of complicated concepts, documents, and terminology: chain of title, clouds on title, covenants which may [or not] run with the land, deeds, disclosure statements, easements, incorporeal hereditaments, heirs, inchoate rights, judgments, liens, mortgages, rights of reverter, and taxes -- just to name a few. If a business is involved, there are even more things to consider: bulk sales notices, commercial environmental concerns, contracts, inventory, leases, licenses, permits, and zoning, etc. Thus, it's neither wise to simply assume that one has the authority to "sell" what another wishes to "buy," nor wise to assume that a contract says what one wishes it to say.

    Thirdly, there are books filled with land use regulations, ordinances, and statutes, etc. which may prevent either a transaction, or a desired land use. Changes in the law can be especially troublesome. Sometimes changes only affect a new owner.

    Remember: It's a very risky thing to sign a legal document before your lawyer tells you what it means and what its impact might be.¹  Secondly, there are deadlines, statutes of limitation, notice requirements, and other steps that must be taken within certain time limits. If you do not act in a timely fashion, you may loose your right to seek a remedy. Don't delay.

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Practice Areas

    One of our² principal practice areas is Real Estate Law, and we offer services related to both residential and commercial real estate. We believe in prompt personal service and reasonable fees. Contact AG&H to learn more and to schedule an appointment. Here are a few examples of of the real estate related areas in which we practice:

• Agreements for purchase and sale.

• Boundary disputes.

• Closings.

• Commercial real estate development.

• Commercial real estate transactions.

• Compensation for government "takings" and interference with real estate.

• Condominiums.

• Construction Law.

• Contracts.

• Conveyancing.

• Deeds.

• Determining ownership.

• Document preparation.

• Easements.

• Ejectments.

• Environmental Law.

• Eviction.

• Finance and development.

• Foreclosures.

• For Sale By Owner transactions - FSBO.

• Judgments.

• Lake County, Indiana real estate transactions.

• Land contracts.

• Land trusts.

• Leases - residential and commercial.

• Liens - filing of and defenses against:

  • Materialmen's liens.

  • Mechanics liens.

  • Other liens.

• Mortgages.

• Northwest Indiana real estate transactions.

• Negotiation.

• Neighbor disputes.

• Opinions of counsel.

• Project development.

• Property tax adjustment.

• Quiet title actions.

• Residential real estate transactions.

• Restrictive covenants.

• Security deposit dispute resolution.

• Subdivision development.

• Tax sale purchases.

• Title policy review.

• Transactions.

• Trials, appeals, and other court proceedings.

• Zoning.

    See, Firm Profile for more information about AG&H and our other areas of practice.

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Properties Offered for Sale by Our Clients

    Contact Us for more information.

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Notes

¹ It is difficult to exaggerate the amount of time and money that can be wasted and the amount of trouble that can be caused by ill fitting and misunderstood [or not understood] documents. Real estate documents need to accurately reflect reality, as well as, the bargain between the parties. The documents also need to cover all of the bases, meet the needs of the parties, and comply with relevant law.

² Amber, Golding & Hofstetter is a law firm.  Doug Amber and Richard R. Hofstetter are retired. For more information about AG&H, see, Firm Profile.

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    The information presented at this site should neither be construed to be formal legal advice, nor the formation of a lawyer-client relationship.  Persons accessing this site are encouraged to seek independent counsel for advice regarding their individual legal issues.  The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements.  Before you decide, ask us to send you free written information about our qualifications and experience.  Should you choose to contact an attorney at Amber, Golding & Hofstetter [by any means of communication] do not disclose information you regard to be confidential, until one of our attorneys verifies that the firm does not represent other persons or entities involved in the matter and that the firm is willing to consider accepting representation.  Unless otherwise agreed in advance, all unsolicited inquiries or information received by Amber, Golding & Hofstetter will not be regarded as confidential.

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