Category Archives: Real Estate
Updating Those Outdated Deed Restrictions
As my previous blog pointed out, deed restrictions in the Houston region can be a form of constant frustration. Whether you are a property owners association, a municipality, an investor, or a homeowner, you have undoubtedly experienced the frustration of outdated deed restrictions. So, what do you do if faced with deed restrictions that… Read More »
Overcoming Outdated Deed Restrictions
Whether you are a municipality, a homeowner’s association (HOA), or a property owner, you have most likely experienced some level of frustration due to outdated deed restrictions that no longer conform to the character of the neighborhood they seek to benefit. For a municipality or an HOA, that frustration could come in the form… Read More »
Building a Backyard Office May Require Approvals, Increase Property Value
It should come as no surprise that, ever since the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the United States in early 2020, a substantial portion of the American workforce has been working from home. If you purchased your home with the idea of working from home in mind, you may have selected a house with a… Read More »
Title Commitment in Texas Real Estate Transactions
The title commitment is a crucial document in most Texas real estate transactions, but many property buyers, especially residential home buyers, may not fully understand what it does or why it is so important. Title insurance is not required to close a real estate deal, but to make an analogy that many Texans will… Read More »
Unappealing Easements: the Tale of the Green Utility Monument
For the past ten years, there has been only one cable and internet provider servicing my neighborhood, with the exception of satellite options. This effective monopoly resulted in a perception of poor service at high prices, and my neighbors have long dreamt of another provider coming into our area, injecting a little competition into… Read More »
How a Municipal Utility District (MUD) Facilitates Real Estate Development in Texas
Many Texans who live in the areas surrounding big cities may pay their water bills to a municipal utility district, or “MUD,” without really understanding what they are and how they work. From a legal standpoint, a MUD is a little bit like a tiny government that manages the water and sewer services for… Read More »
It’s Flooding Down in Texas: Effects on Real Property When a River Shifts
In one way or another, every Texan is familiar with the phrase, “it’s flooding down in Texas.” Either from the chorus to a classic blues jam belted out all over the local radio stations by one of our native sons, the late and great Stevie Ray Vaughan, or from watching a local news broadcast… Read More »
Texas Real Estate Investors Should Consider A “Series LLC” For Asset and Liability Protection
The simplicity and flexibility of the limited liability company (“LLC”) has made it the business entity of choice for Texas real estate investors, but many experienced real estate pros still are not aware of the benefits of the “series LLC,” a relatively new and more advanced and efficient entity for real property investments. The… Read More »
Who Decides the Width of a Residential Street and What If It’s Insufficient?
Quick question: how wide is the street you live on? I would hazard to guess that most people don’t know the exact width of their street, but they could probably tell you if it’s wide enough for two cars to pass each other without either having to yield when a car is parked on… Read More »
Texas Tax Code Caps Homestead Exemptions at 20% of Property Value
Texas residents might enjoy a homestead tax break of up to 20% of the appraised value of their home, depending on what amount is provided for by their local property tax authority. But what if a city wanted to give homeowners a bigger break? Would that require a change to Texas statute or the… Read More »