There are many in Santa Cruz whose personal situations make it more advantageous to rent their homes than buy them. One of the factors that might sway one towards renting is not having the time to deal with the complexities that come with home ownership. Indeed, rental or lease agreements tend to be much simpler to understand and secure. Perhaps this is why the Pew Research Center reports that as of 2016, 36.6 percent of households in the U.S. were rental properties. Yet simply choosing to rent does not mean that one is immune from residency related problems, including issues such as fraud.
Beware of rental fraud
Landlord harassment and the law
Disagreements between tenants and landlords are no average dispute, mainly because it can threaten one's living situation. When a landlord harasses a tenant, the issue becomes all the more problematic. California tenants deserve honest communication, proper maintainence upkeep and, above all else, a safe living environment.
Tenancy in common vs. joint tenancy
Co-owning a property in Santa Cruz can be a complex proposition; many of the clients that we here at The Law Office of Leo B. Siegel have worked with can attest to this fact. Your stake in the property will always be your primary concern. At the same time, what your co-owners do should also weigh heavily on your mind. For this reason, it is extremely important that you consider the type ownership will be most advantageous to you before buying into a venture.
What is real estate fraud?
Home ownership is the American dream, and it is shared by many right here in Santa Cruz. But there is no lack of people who would take that dream away from you through a variety of schemes. To safeguard yourself from real estate fraud, you need to know what to look for; here are some common schemes.
Giving advance notice before eviction
An unfortunate part of doing business is that many people won’t uphold their end of a contract. This is especially true in property management and landlord situations where the agreement includes living arrangements.
