Probate is a legal proceeding that may be necessary to properly transfer assets of a decedent to their family members or third parties. If the value of a person’s estate does not exceed $75,000, there may be a way to accomplish the transfer of assets without filing a probate action with the Court. Every situation is unique, so consult with an attorney before acting when dealing with a loved one’s estate.
Month: November 2014
Quiet Title, what does it mean?
“Quiet Title” is a technical phrase to describe how people can ascertain ownership of real estate. It is a legal theory used when you want to establish that people claiming an interest adverse to yours in real estate do not actually have any interest. It is also a description used when there may be problems with how real estate was deeded in the past and a person needs to establish they have good, clear title to a parcel of real estate. Ultimately, a party is looking for a Judge to review the evidence regarding the title to the property and uses of the property and make a decision as to “who” owns “what” in regard to the disputed real estate. Boundary line disputes, bad legal descriptions, adverse possession claims are just a few instances where it may be necessary to bring a Quiet Title action.
Hiring a residential contractor
Minnesota law requires that a person, which can mean an individual or company, in the business of building residential real estate inclusive of remodeling, must be licensed if their services entail the provision of “two or more special skills” as defined within the statute. These special skills include excavation, masonry, carpentry, interior finishing, exterior finishing, drywall, roofing, etc. If you are contemplating hiring someone to work on your home and it entails two or more “special skills”, inquire as to their residential contractor’s license number. This number should be on the contracts they provide you and all written materials from a contractor. If you do not see a license number or they hesitate to give you one, be cautious and do further investigation into the contractor and contact the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry to verify the status of their license. You will lose the right to proceed against the Contractor’s Recovery Fund if you have unlicensed persons do work at your home that required a license.