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You Had the Power All Along

We are going to let you in on a little secret. Sellers do not need to attend the closing when they sell a property. In fact, many attorneys would prefer that sellers do not. Here’s why:

1. Small talk between the parties can be downright scary. We recently worked with a buyer who, mid-closing, asked the seller why there were coffins in the basement. Yes, you read that correctly. COFFINS.

It’s safe to say that it was a pretty scary few seconds until the seller gave a “reasonable” response. While this question is a once in a lifetime, small talk between the parties always has the potential to derail a transaction and nobody wants that to happen.

2. In most cases, the seller leaves the closing table without a check in their hands (unless the closing happens at the Registry of Deeds). The transfer of ownership needs to be “on record” before the seller receives a check or wire for their proceeds. Recording may take a couple of hours, especially where some lenders require authorization prior to filing documents at the Registry and (electronic) recording takes a little while to process.

3. Your attorney can sign documents on your behalf with a Limited Power of Attorney. By having your attorney sign for you, your time can be spent signing documents for your next home, working or having coffee with a friend.

A Limited Power of Attorney allows someone to act on your behalf for a specific transaction or purpose. By contrast, a Durable Power of Attorney allows someone to assist you more broadly with legal and financial matters.

As always, please let us know if you have questions about this topic, need representation in the sale or purchase of a home, as well as any other legal matters.

If you are interested in this topic, you may enjoy this article :
https://www.realtor.com/advice/sell/5-tips-se lling-a-home-from-out-of-state.

Regards,
John and Faye

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“Can I Ask You A Question?”

Have you ever noticed that when a doctor walks into a room, everyone suddenly has medical ailments? The question usually starts with, “I hate to ask you this when you’re not at work, BUT….”

We have a sweet as pie cousin who happens to be a pediatrician. We try not to ask her questions, but, inevitably, small talk among parents often leads into something medical. As we kick ourselves for letting the words escape our lips, she is very always gracious to share her opinion and experience as a parent, family member, and (yes) pediatrician.

The same thing happens regardless of what you do for work. Everyone has a situation that they want to discuss or question that they want to ask. Like our cousin, we are always happy to help and share our knowledge and experience. So, before you ask, we will share the answers to our most often asked real estate questions:

“I heard that mortgage rates have gone up lately. Should I wait to buy or refinance a house until the interest rates drop?”

It is still a great time to buy a new home or refinance your current home. Yes, rates have increased very slightly over the last few months, but they are still really low at this point. We have all been really spoiled with the ridiculously low mortgage rates for the last few years. Have you ever asked your parents or grandparents about when they purchased their home?  They probably told you that their house cost $26,000.00, but also that their interest rate was 17-20%. With mortgage rates still so slow and such a variety of lending programs available, it is definitely worth exploring whether it makes financial sense to buy or refinance now, before the rates rise.

“Should I have an attorney review my Purchase and Sales (“P&S”)?

In a profession where our answer is frequently “it depends,” our answer to this question is it is very wise to do so. The most important reason is that, once it is signed, you have committed to the terms and cannot change them.

Most real estate agents use a standard form created by REBA, the Real Estate Bar Association of Massachusetts. Are the forms any good? Yes, but our experience guides anticipation all of the legal problems that might arise during your transaction and which cannot be added to the document by an agent. We attach addendum which offer important, additional protections, related to condition of the premises, delivery of Deed, survey review, potential defects to title, ability to obtain property and Title Insurance, damage to the property, deposits, contingencies for mortgage or sale of other property, and other important aspects of the home.

“Do I need Title Insurance?”
We often get this question at the closing table. Lenders typically require a policy for the loan and which is paid by the buyer.  An Owner’s title policy is optional; however, it’s one of the smartest investments that you can make in your home and it is reasonably priced, especially when compared to the cost of fixing issues that might arise later.

For purchases, we look at a 50 year history of the premises. Even the most meticulous search may not unveil hidden risks with your “title (aka ownership),” because those risks have not yet become evident by the time of closing. Some specific hidden risks that can be protected by Title Insurance are:

* forgery;
* fraud or mis-representation in connection to the execution of the documents;
* undue pressure on the seller or personal representative of an estate;
* false impersonation by people claiming to own the property;
* incorrect statement about the marital status of a Seller (which is more likely if the premises is being sold during a divorce);
* issues related to a seller who has passed away, including disclosed or missing heirs, birth of additional potential heirs after the creation of the will, misinterpretation of a will or trust, and estates which were not properly probated;
* inadequate survey;
* incorrect legal description;
* non-delivery of deeds;
* claims or liens not yet on record;
* confusion regarding similar or incorrect names;
* delivery of deeds after the death of a grantor;
* incorrect indexing at the Registry of Deeds;
* unrecorded easements; and
* zoning violations.

As always, please call or email us if you have any questions regarding this or anything else.

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The Official WJS Endorsement for the 2016 Elections

We were hoping that you would ask who we are voting for in 2016.  We thought that you might. Since you didn’t ask, we will just tell you.
For the last few months, the news has been dominated by scandals. Instead of focusing on imperfect people, our focus should be on who is more likely to conduct the country’s business successfully, especially the nomination of United States Supreme Court Justices.

 

Only a few month ago, everyone was talking the importance of nominating the next Supreme Court Justice. As you may remember, we blogged about it soon after Scalia’s death at https://wjslegal.com/blog/page/3/

 

Very little time has been spent since Scalia’s death discussing the Supreme Court. Given this election cycle, it’s not a total surprise despite the number of seats on the Court which may become empty within the next four or eight years. Depending who makes and confirms the nomination, the Court may look very different in the next decade.

 

During the 2016-2017 term, the Court will hear a variety of cases related to gun ownership, freedom of religion, voting rights, the death penalty, and equal protection. One of the cases likely to draw the most interest is one involving the bathroom use of transgender high school student.

 

Do you have an opinion about any of these matters? If so, then it matters to you who becomes President and which of the down ballot candidates will be confirming the President’s nominations. Each vote has the potential to change our country.

 

So, for the first time ever, the Law Office of Weiner Jackson & Simmons is making an endorsement: we are voting for the Supreme Court. You heard it here first.

 

North Attleboro Plainville Wrentham Bristol Norfolk Real estate child support custody divorce real estate homestead title insurance Attleboro lawyer legal law office modification contempt estate plan planning will power of attorney old republic title company living will Norton Franklin Bellingham Canton Easton Marin School Association Representative Town Meeting Junior League of Boston Contractor Disputes Personal Injury Landlord Tenant  Deed paternity South Attleboro Cub Scout pack 65

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Top 10 Legal Statistics

Once you reach a certain age, it’s hard not to feel nostalgic about your younger days. Life was so easy and you were invincible. You loved drinking Tab, listening your Guns and Roses cassette, and watching Goonies. Those favorite things often bring us comfort as we are busy “adulting” and moving forward into new adventures. In the spirit of favorite bits of nostalgia, we present a Letterman-style Top 10 List:

Top 10 Random Legal Tidbits

10. Take note the next time you are at Fenway or Gillette: Anyone over the age of 16 and at a sporting event who uses obscene language or a slanderous statement can be punished by a fine of up to $50. Yes, that does include during the playoffs.
9. Massachusetts was the first state to allow for same sex marriage. In 2009, the couple at the center of the historic ruling got divorced (after over 20 years as a couple).
8. Title Insurance on your home is very much worth the one- time investment. If there is ever an issue with the title to your property, your policy will usually cover the cost of correcting the problem. Typically, the cost of the policy is less than two or three hours of legal fees.
7. Don’t go to a wake on an empty stomach. No mourner is allowed to consume more than three sandwiches, of any size, at a funeral home within the Commonwealth. For years, any service of food or drink in the home was prohibited; however, the laws have loosened a little bit so that cold beverages and light snacks may be served to make mourners more comfortable.
6. The United States Supreme Court has been involved in two Presidential elections in the past. In addition to Bush versus Gore in 2000, the Supreme Court was also involved in the 1876 race between Rutherford B. Hayes and Samuel Tilden. If the current election continues to be as emotionally charged as it currently is, it’s not unlikely that this election also requires judicial intervention.
5. One town in the Commonwealth does not allow residents to buy, sell, or possess squirt guns. The same town also prohibits the use of silly string and ownership of more than two dogs. It sounds like a dreadful place to live if you are a kid; fortunately, the Target in that town seems to be more pro-fun than compliance and usually carries two out of the three in stock.
4. Negotiations can occasionally be very similar to the opening scene of Wedding Crashers. People sometimes lose sight of the bigger picture and fight over “small” things, like license plates. We understand when emotions take over, because it is a highly emotional time and there can be a strong connection to personal property. The best attorneys will defuse negativity and keep parties focused on resolution. However, to date, neither of us have crashed a wedding (yet).
3. Sometimes, it does just depend. When attorneys respond “it depends,” we aren’t trying to avoid answering a question. More often than not, our answer often requires additional information for a more specific answer. Even the slightest tweak in facts can change our overall impression about a situation and the likelihood that a ruling or resolution will be in our client’s favor.
2. Dancing to or singing only a portion of the Star Spangled Banner is prohibited anywhere with the Commonwealth; however, singing off-key, while arm in arm in arm with friends, to Sweet Caroline is strongly suggested.
1. We are so excited to announce the opening of the Law Office of Weiner Jackson & Simmons, P.C.! We founded the practice based on our belief that a team of hard working, client- focused, determined professionals can provide a higher quality more personal service to our community. Please check out our website www.wjslegal.com and follow us on Facebook.

 

North Attleboro Plainville Wrentham Bristol Norfolk Real estate child support custody divorce real estate homestead title insurance Attleboro lawyer legal law office modification contempt estate plan planning will power of attorney old republic title company living will Norton Franklin Bellingham Canton Easton Marin School Association Representative Town Meeting Junior League of Boston Contractor Disputes Personal Injury Landlord Tenant  Deed paternity South Attleboro Cub Scout pack 65

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Truth.

Truth.

I recently read Good to Great (2001) by Jim Collins.  Although the book is geared towards corporate executives, the messages can be carried into any career or life, in general. Some of the highlights are as follows:
1.” Great leaders combine tremendous personal humility with unwavering professional resolve;”
2.  “Companies that are trying to become great must force themselves to confront brutal facts and difficult realities in order to address them;” and
3. “The transformation from good to great does not come in a dramatic swoop or sudden action.”

I recently participated in a creative writing class. During that class, we had a discussion about humility as an essential aspect of being genuine.  Whether in business or in every day life, we tend to trust people who can admit when they are wrong or need assistance, because we, ourselves, are not perfect or indestructible.  During the class, I couldn’t help but also reflect on the book.

When I first started to practice law in December, 2004, I was over confident. While in law school, I had worked for as a student district attorney and for some amazing attorneys; of course, I thought that I knew everything that there is to know about practicing.

On the very first day that my practice was open, I received a referral from a close law school friend. Opposing counsel on the case was one of the most prominent attorneys in Boston, who (literally) started practicing before I was born. Within a month, I felt out of my league; while my experience was great, it was not that of a seasoned attorney. The brutal truth of admitting to myself that I had failed at being instantly brilliant was painful. Only once I admitted that I was lost could I truly ask for help and grow in to who I am eleven years later.

Sometimes the truth is painful, but it can be the gateway from good to great.

**This newsletter is dedicated to Lisa Hutchison, who taught the creative writing seminar and colleagues who never make me feel foolish.**

 

North Attleboro Plainville Wrentham Bristol Norfolk Real estate child support custody divorce real estate homestead title insurance Attleboro lawyer legal law office modification contempt estate plan planning will power of attorney old republic title company living will Norton Franklin Bellingham Canton Easton Marin School Association Representative Town Meeting Junior League of Boston Contractor Disputes Personal Injury Landlord Tenant  Deed paternity South Attleboro Cub Scout pack 65

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