Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

Financial problems and family law

On behalf of Avallone Law Associates posted in family law on Tuesday, February 5, 2019.

People experience financial hardships for a myriad of reasons, including the loss of a job and a health problem that seemingly came from nowhere. Unfortunately, these financial problems can do far more than cause daily life to become difficult from a financial point of view. Unfortunately, they can also leave a non-custodial parent unable to pay child support, prevent someone from moving forward with a divorce due to legal costs, result in missed alimony payments and cause a variety of other challenges. If you are going through a tough time financially, or anticipate these problems in the near future, it is important to focus on the potential impact with respect to family law.

Those who are struggling financially may have some options that necessitate closer review. For example, someone who cannot pay their child support could have the option to modify their child support order due to major financial challenges they are facing. A spousal support order may also be modified under certain circumstances. Moreover, those who have fallen behind may be able to set up a payment plan in order to take care of their obligations.

What to do if owners cannot agree to sell

On behalf of Avallone Law Associates on Thursday, January 31, 2019.

People disagree all the time, whether it’s the type of soda to drink or the type of house they should buy. Everyone wants or expects something slightly different. The same is true with two owners of property – they may agree or disagree on what should be done.For example, a mother is drafting her will and decides to leave her farm to her two sons, John and Jason. When the mother passes, both Jason and John are equal owners of the family farm. Jason wants to sell the farm and split the profits while John wants to move into the farm.

What if you are struggling to pay your mortgage?

On behalf of Avallone Law Associates posted in Residential Real Estate on Friday, January 25, 2019.

While owning a home is a sign of success, being unable to keep up with mortgage payments can feel like you are failing. If your family's financial situation is different than when you first purchased your home, you have to make tough decisions in order to stay afloat. To help struggling homeowners, there are programs in Pennsylvania that can help prevent foreclosure.

According to the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, your first step if you are having difficulty paying your mortgage is to contact the company that services the loan. If you get in touch with them early on, they will often be able to work with you to restructure payments. The servicer may also issue an Act 91 Notice, which allows you to apply for a loan through the Homeowners' Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program. If you apply in a timely manner, your mortgage company cannot take action related to foreclosure.

Buying a home with your parents

On behalf of Avallone Law Associates on Sunday, January 20, 2019.

American society has a specific perspective on how living as an adult goes. You move out of your parents’ home, find the love of your life and start a home of your own. However, more people are deviating from the status quo.

The New York Times recently reported a growth of multigenerational households across the United States. There is a current estimation of 64 million Americans living in a multigenerational home – a house where two or more adult generations live together.

Approaching your divorce with the right attitude

On behalf of Avallone Law Associates posted in family law on Wednesday, January 9, 2019.

Divorce can be very hard in a number of ways, from the financial burdens associated with ending a marriage (paying alimony or child support, distributing marital property, etc.) to those which affect a child's daily life as well as their future. Understandably, some people become overwhelmed when they even think about splitting up with their spouse, whether they were the one who chose to end the marriage, or their spouse announced that they will be filing a divorce petition. If you are struggling with any divorce-related matters, it is crucial to approach your divorce with the right attitude.

Some people can become depressed, overly stressed out or even angry when it comes to divorce. However, these negative emotions can interfere with their ability to work through the challenges they face efficiently. By managing negative emotions better, you could be able to give yourself a better chance of securing a favorable outcome. You should try to stay focused and positive, even though that can be difficult at times. Moreover, an optimistic outlook on your circumstances may be beneficial as well, even if you are facing some tough problems at the moment.

Less common reasons for divorce

On behalf of Avallone Law Associates posted in family law on Thursday, December 27, 2018.

Many marriages come to an end because of major differences, a couple growing apart over time, infidelity and wanting to start a new life. With that being said, marriages also end due to a variety of other factors, including some that may be less common. For example, someone may convert to a particular religion during the course of their marriage and their spouse may not want to continue with the marriage any longer. Regardless of the reason why a marriage is called off, you need to approach this situation cautiously and know what may be at stake.

Marriages also end because spouses change over time or acquire new interests and hobbies. For example, someone may feel that their spouse no longer spends enough time with them or they might disapprove of a particular pastime that the other person has taken on. Sometimes, people simply decide that they do not wish to be married any more and they want to live alone. There are countless reasons for the termination of marriages and it is vital for you to cautiously approach this potentially difficult situation.

Plan your visitation arrangement for the upcoming year

On behalf of Avallone Law Associates on Sunday, December 16, 2018.

The holidays are a perfect opportunity to meet with your co-parent to update child custody and visitation arrangements for next year. You will likely be near your co-parent or their family members. Instead of feeling dread or ignoring the elephant in the room, in the spirit of the holiday, use this opportunity to plan.

How can single parents navigate the holidays?

On behalf of Avallone Law Associates posted in family law on Thursday, December 13, 2018.

For single parents in Pennsylvania, the holidays are often a challenging time. From worries about money to conflicts with your ex, you might feel like you're all alone in your glum feelings and dour outlook. In fact, many single parents go through the same thing this time of year, which is why Live About offers the following tips.

Help others

Appraisals of commercial real estate

On behalf of Avallone Law Associates posted in Commercial Real Estate on Wednesday, November 28, 2018.

Whether you are interested in purchasing a business property in Pennsylvania or you want to sell your building, an appraisal will be conducted. A commercial appraisal is more complicated than a residential one, so it is important to understand some of the terms and considerations.

The SF Gate discusses the three main ways of appraising commercial property. They are:

Cost approach - the value of the property equals the land value as well as the amount to replace the building as it currently is
Market approach - the property value is based on similar buildings in the surrounding area
Income capitalization approach - typically used by investors, this method compares the ability to generate revenue with its market value

When do you need a probate to quiet title?

On behalf of Avallone Law Associates on Friday, November 23, 2018.

If you own real estate, you may already know a little bit about what it means to have "title" to the property. Title generally means you have all the ownership rights of a piece of property. "Clear title" means that nobody else has any claim or lien against the property. But what happens if you discover that your property does not have clear title because of a problem with a deceased owner? The probate process may help you with your quiet title action.