Real Estate Law
Real Estate Transfer Tax in Montgomery County, PA
Real Estate Transfer Tax is something everyone in Pennsylvania needs to address. Whether you’re dealing with commercial or residential real estate purchases or real estate development in Montgomery County, PA, you will inevitably be faced with having to consider whether you are obligated to pay a real estate transfer tax. Here’s what you need to […]
Why Real Estate Commission Agreements Should Always be in Writing
It's easy as a real estate agent to forgo the signing of important documents when performing services for a new client, friend, or family member. All to often, not getting your real estate commission agreement signed could make for issues trying to collect in the end. As a real estate agent in Pennsylvania, payment for […]
Can a Landlord Evict a Tenant for Late Rent?
In Pennsylvania, it's a landlord's right to file an order for possession in Magisterial District Court if a tenant fails to make timely rental payments. Once a landlord receives an eviction judgment from the court, and no appeal is filed, the landlord has the right to request an order for possession of the property from […]
Real Estate Transfer Tax in Philadelphia
Do you have to pay real estate transfer tax in Philadelphia? If you’re dealing with commercial real estate, residential real estate or real estate development in Philadelphia the price could get steep. Here’s what you need to know. In Pennsylvania, there is a real estate transfer tax imposed by the state as well as the […]
PA Municipalities worried about the Airbnb trend can rest easier
In a recent decision, the PA Supreme Court reversed the Commonwealth Court’s ruling and in doing so, state that Airbnb-type rentals are against residential zoning laws. Back in March 2018, I wrote about the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s decision to review a case involving a now-prevalent issue confronted by municipalities across the country…the influx of Airbnb’s […]
High Swartz Initiates Sale of Historic Norristown Building
High Swartz Law Firm sells corner building at 425 DeKalb Street in Norristown to developer, making way for luxury apartments and restaurant café space. The developer sought to reclaim the building's history, while keeping vintage decor intact. The residential situation at the corner of DeKalb and East Airy Streets in Norristown was dire. The apartments […]
Politcal Yard Signs and Your HOA
Political campaign signage and yard signs has always been a point of significant controversy in PA, which has only intensified in the recent years. Because our democracy depends upon the free exchange of ideas, the First Amendment forbids laws “abridging the freedom of speech.” The Supreme Court has long interpreted that the Amendment has a […]
Don’t Forget! 2019 Tax Appeal Deadlines Are Approaching
New assessment notices and tax bills have been arriving in property owners’ mailboxes throughout the spring and summer, and deadlines in a few counties in southeastern Pennsylvania are only a few cookouts or trips to the shore away. August 1 is the deadline for filing appeals in Montgomery County, Bucks County, Delaware County, and Chester […]
How can municipalities control the AirBnB trend within their neighborhoods?
The online marketplace for short term lodging is proliferating well beyond Jersey Shore and Poconos rentals. AirBnB’s are becoming a popular trend in suburban Philadelphia and in some townships, an unwanted land use. Since this trend started, the municipal and zoning lawyer in me has wondered how this seemingly unregulated ability to rent out your […]
Can You Trust Philadelphia’s (Ten Year Tax Abatement) Process?
Philadelphia’s Ten Year Tax Abatement Program has been in place for almost twenty years. It was instituted to spur new development and re-development, by exempting, for ten years, the value of any improvements to real estate. Over the past few years, many new or recent home buyers in Philadelphia with ten year abatements, have opened […]