Online Articles
Large Jury Verdicts – What Does the Recent Uptick Mean?
April 21, 2014
By Frank L. Murray Recently, large jury verdicts appear to many commentators to have experienced an “uptick”.[1] Experienced predominantly in the medical malpractice area, the rise of what experts refer to as “blockbuster verdicts” has been detectable.[2] Dating back to U.S. Department of Justice studies published in the mid-nineties, the underlying statistical matrix… Read more
Asset Protection: Limiting Liability & Lowering Taxes
April 21, 2014
By Brad Huss, E.A., CFP One of the unfortunate realities in today’s America is the risk posed to both businesses and individuals by the threat of litigation. The National Center for State Courts estimates that approximately sixteen million civil lawsuits are filed in the United States every year. The Economic Journal reports that Americans… Read more
Protecting Your Assets From Creditors
April 21, 2014
By William Gibney, Esq. If you drive a car, own real estate, own a business, have a spouse or business partner, or engage in high-risk activities, there’s a decent chance you will be sued. You could cause an automobile accident. A delivery man could slip and fall on your front porch. You could go… Read more
Disclosing About Disclosure
February 12, 2014
By Judy Houston Real Estate requires complete focus on DISCLOUSRE — from beginning to end of each transaction. Recently, a judge from Phoenix Superior Court attended three of my Disclosure classes. After the third class, the judge told me he was in awe of what an agent must know in the way of Disclosure… Read more
FOREIGN INVESTORS BEWARE: How REALTORS® Can Help Foreign Investor Clients
February 1, 2014
By Christopher J. Charles, Esq. Anytime a foreign investor sells real estate in America, FIRPTA is triggered. This issue rarely arose in recent history. But due to the high number of Canadian investors who purchased property in Arizona the last few years, FIRPTA will be on Googles’ list for top search terms the next… Read more
New Mortgage Guidelines Give Borrowers Hope Following A Short Sale or Bankruptcy
January 1, 2014
By Christopher J. Charles, Esq. Borrowers have struggled for years to find financing following a short sale or foreclosure. In fact, the general rule is that a borrower must wait anywhere from two to five years after a short sale before qualifying for a new mortgage. Even worse, borrowers generally must wait five to… Read more
How REALTORS® Can Add Value and Generate Referrals by Identifying Blind Spots
December 1, 2013
By: Christopher J. Charles, Esq. & special guest John Skabelund, Esq. Successful REALTORS® know that ecstatic clients are the best sources for referrals. Delivering unexpected value to your clients is the easiest way to exceed a client’s expectations. Identifying a real estate transaction’s “blind spots” is a cost-effective way to create loyal clients. Blind… Read more
Avoiding Real Estate Malpractice Arizona REALTORS® Duty to Disclose
November 1, 2013
By: Christopher J. Charles, Esq. & special guest Scott Burns, Esq. It has been famously said that “with great power comes great responsibility.” This is especially true for REALTORS® who, under Article 26 of the Arizona Constitution, may draft any and all instruments, including contracts, incident to the sale, exchange, trade, or leasing of… Read more
Hope Springs for Loan Modifictions
October 1, 2013
By Christopher J. Charles, Esq. Generally speaking, the federal government’s loan modification program has been a bust. The U.S. Department of Treasury launched the Home Affordable Modification Program (“HAMP”) in 2009 to help distressed homeowners with delinquent mortgages. But as the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals recently observed, HAMP has “created more litigation than… Read more
How to Quickly Restore Credit Follwing a Short Sale or Foreclosure
August 1, 2013
By Christopher J. Charles, Esq. It should be no surprise that a short sale or foreclosure negatively impacts a borrower’s credit score. In fact, in many cases, a borrower with a completed short sale or foreclosure may have to wait two to seven years before qualifying for FHA or conventional financing. Due to today’s… Read more