George Stephens, CRB, is the broker of ERA Stephens Properties. He is licensed as a mortgage broker in Texas and a real estate broker in Texas, Georgia, and Massachusetts.

Charles J. Jacobus, JD, is board certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Residential and Commercial Real Estate Law, and the author of Texas Real Estate Law and Texas Real Estate, both published by Thomson Publishing. He also teaches at Champions School of Real Estate and Houston Community College, and is an adjunct professor at the University of Houston Law Center.

George and Chuck are co-authors of Texas Real Estate Brokerage and Law of Agency, published by Thomson Publishing.

March 8, 2010: Verbal agreements, divorces and deeds

March 1, 2010: Up-front fees

Feb. 22, 2010: Federal homebuyer tax credit, representation agreements

Feb. 15, 2010: Property management forms, quit-claim deeds

Feb. 8, 2010: Easements, buying without an agent

Feb. 1, 2010: Deeding land to relatives, confirming who's on a deed

Jan. 25, 2010: Proof of funds, tips for arbitration

Jan. 18, 2010: Federal first-time homebuyer tax credit

Jan. 11, 2010: Officially taking possession of your home

Jan. 4, 2010: Federal first-time homebuyer tax credit, deed restrictions

Dec. 28, 2009: Selling without spouse's consent, raffles

Dec. 23, 2009: Illegal listing agreements, paying cash for a home

Dec. 14, 2009: Unwanted properties, terminating agency agreements

Dec. 7, 2009: Short sales, homebuying and tax liens

Nov. 30, 2009: Homeowners insurance, being pressured to buy

Nov. 23, 2009: "As-is" contracts, order of signatures

Nov. 16, 2009: Sellers and commissions

Nov. 9, 2009: Broker commissions

Nov. 2, 2009: Delays at closing, terminating contracts

Oct. 26, 2009: Inherited properties

Oct. 19, 2009: Death of tenants, breaking away from HOAs

Oct. 12, 2009: Surveys

Oct. 5, 2009: Drainage problems, 203K loans

Sept. 29, 2009: Terminating listing agreements, extending closings

Sept. 21, 2009: Failures to disclose, contracts for deed

Sept. 12, 2009: Foreclosures and short sales, terminating listing contracts

Aug. 31, 2009: Recovering expenses, removing neighbor's fence

Aug. 24, 2009: Terminating a listing agreement, disclosing death on a property

Aug. 17, 2009: Neighbor's shrubs causing unsafe condition, terminating a sale

Aug. 10, 2009: Lease defaults, property tax increases

Aug. 3, 2009: Reasons for selling, definition of "spa"

July 27, 2009: Permanent fixtures, days on market

July 20, 2009: Appraisals, contracts for deed

July 13, 2009: Home inspections, protection periods

June 29, 2009: Option periods, adding names to titles

June 22, 2009: Unknown inspectors, foreign buyers

June 15, 2009: Death delaying closings, early termination of listing agreement

June 8, 2009: Sprinkler systems

June 1, 2009: Terminating an agent

May 26, 2009: Dissolving an HOA, deed questions

May 19, 2009: Murders, changes to a contract

May 11, 2009: Attendance at closings

May 4, 2009: Selling a rental property

April 27, 2009: Acceptance of an offer, definition of equity

April 20, 2009: Easements

April 13, 2009: Co-borrowers, for-sale signs

April 6, 2009: Buyers defaulting, occupancy rules

March 30, 2009: Mineral rights

March 23, 2009: Voiding a contract, water heaters

March 16, 2009: Credit scores, parking problems

March 9, 2009: Leases and layoffs, hostile easements

March 3, 2009: Foreclosure, spouse's purchase

Feb. 16, 2009: Old debts, names on title, FSBOs

Feb. 9, 2009: Storm-damaged property, first-time buyer advice

Feb. 2, 2009: Deposits on rental property

Jan. 26, 2009: Buying property without your spouse

Jan. 21, 2009: Selling more than you own

Jan. 12, 2009: Unresponsive landlords

Jan. 6, 2009: Estate fights, lease terminations

Dec. 29, 2008: Who pays for the survey?

Dec. 15, 2008: Rent adjustments

Dec. 8, 2008: Senior buyers, broken furnaces

Dec. 1, 2008: Leases, sold vs. pending

Nov. 24, 2008: Boundary disputes, easement conflicts

Nov. 17, 2008: Option fees, homestead tax exemptions

Nov. 10, 2008: Seller's disclosure

Nov. 3, 2008: Representation confusion

Oct. 27, 2008: Limitations of inspections, failure to disclose

Oct. 20, 2008: Exemptions from disclosure, data in the MLS

Oct. 13, 2008: Tax exemptions, landlords collecting double rent

Oct. 6, 2008: Multiple buyers for property, taxes after closing

Sept. 22, 2008: Failure to disclose, amendments to executed contracts

Sept. 15, 2008: Lockbox rules, HOA fees

Sept. 8, 2008: Unwritten easements, trailer homes

Sept. 3, 2008: Trespassing, agents' cars

Aug. 25, 2008: Tax on sales profits

Aug. 18, 2008: Correction deeds, railroad tracks

Aug. 12, 2008: Foundation repairs, earnest money

Aug. 4, 2008: Lost deeds, agents' duties to clients

July 28, 2008: Deed gaps, unearned commissions

July 21, 2008: Power of attorney, refinancing mortgage loans

July 14, 2008: Verbal contracts, title insurance

July 9, 2008: Violent crimes, complaints ...

June 30, 2008: Buying without spouses, splitting fees

June 23, 2008: Questionable transaction fees, heirship affidavits

June 16, 2008: Ending a listing, enforcing contracts

June 9, 2008: Agent representation, buying title insurance

June 2, 2008: Neighborhood bullies, sellers in debt

May 27, 2008: Mineral rights, termination of contracts

May 19, 2008: Rent caps, square-footage errors ...

May 12, 2008: Absentee agents, inheriting property

May 5, 2008: Mortgage fraud, buyer representation ...

April 28, 2008: Credit card liens, listing agreements

April 21, 2008: Return of earnest money, owners associations

April 14, 2008: Submitting offers, running a property owners association

April 7, 2008: Easements, prior debts, contract termination

March 31, 2008: Buyer representation, builder warranties

March 24, 2008: Buyer's access, lease termination

March 17, 2008: Land disputes, landlord problems

March 10, 2008: Lease details, referring brokers

March 3, 2008: Escaping leases, homeowners associations ...

Feb. 25, 2008: Earnest money, mineral rights ...

Feb. 19, 2008: Mold disclosure, appraisal practices ...

Feb. 4, 2008: Buying foreclosed property ...

Jan. 28, 2008: Title transfer, parental purchases

Jan. 21, 2008: Divorce, access to property

Jan. 14, 2008: Easements, partitioning land ...

Jan. 9, 2008: Rent-to-own agreements, home inspections ...

Jan. 2, 2008: Estate sales, timely payment by lenders ...

Dec. 17, 2007: Transactions during divorce, anonymous buyers

Dec. 10, 2007: Foreclosures, seniors and interest rates

Dec. 3, 2007: Short sales, trespassing neighbors ...

Nov. 26, 2007: Filing written complaints

Nov. 19, 2007: Trepassing trees, power-of-attorney sales ...

Nov. 12, 2007: Buyers defaulting, giving property to children as gifts ...

Nov. 5, 2007: Closing costs, flood zone areas

Oct. 29, 2007: Fee-simple ownership, advertising fees ...

Oct. 15, 2007: Unread contracts, an older roof than reported ...

Oct. 8, 2007: Marijuana grown in the home, desired open houses ...

Oct. 1, 2007: Sharing a fence, registered sex offenders ...

Sept. 24, 2007: Tree encroachments, full-price offers ...

Sept. 17, 2007: Tax liens, debt collectors ...

Sept. 10, 2007: Early termination of listing agreements, easement lawsuits ...

Sept. 3, 2007: FSBOs and commissions, breaching contracts ...

Aug. 27, 2007: Verbal agreements, early termination of representation

Aug. 20, 2007: Lease semantics, letters of intent ...

Aug. 13, 2007: Rental deposits, seller's disclosure ...

Aug. 6, 2007: Paying for title insurance, foreclosure sales

July 30, 2007: Conveying easements

July 16, 2007: Square-footage discrepancies, effective dates of contracts ...

July 9, 2007: Getting your ex to sell the house, pricing rural land ...

July 2, 2007: Fence encroachments, property mangement companies

June 25, 2007: Multiple offers, breaking contracts with agents

June 18, 2007: Lying sellers, referral fees

June 11, 2007: HOAs, mortgage fraud

June 4, 2007: Deed restrictions and more deed restrictions ...

May 28, 2007: Verbal offers, listing agreements ...

May 21, 2007: Leaky roofs, releasing earnest money ...

May 14, 2007: Liens on homesteads, disclosing murders ...

May 7, 2007: Ethics, escrow ...

April 30, 2007: Lease loopholes, dividing land ...

April 23, 2007: Contractor fraud, seller deception ...

April 16, 2007: Contracts for deed, seller's disclosure ...

April 9, 2007: No parking in your driveway, corporations claiming homestead exemptions ...

April 2, 2007: Conflicts of interest, adverse possession ...

March 26, 2007: Retrieving earnest money, altering deed restrictions ...

March 19, 2007: Sewer easements, earnest money ...

March 12, 2007: Selling relatives' property, title company errors ...

March 5, 2007: Currency conversion, mineral rights ...

Feb. 26, 2007: Rent increases, easement issues ...

Feb. 19, 2007: Tax prorations, license fees

Feb. 12, 2007: Flouting deed restrictions, getting an inspector's license

Feb. 5, 2007: Listing houses for sale without permission, what the REALTOR® trademark means ...

Jan. 29, 2007: Closing costs, buying out leases

Jan. 22, 2007: Refunding security deposits, seller disclosure

Jan. 15, 2007: Verbal agreements, refunds after defaulted contracts

Jan. 8, 2007: Contingency contracts, sellers staying past closing

Dec. 25, 2006: Divorces, defaulting tenants

Dec. 18, 2006: Representation agreements, mortgage fraud

Dec. 11, 2006: Locking in mortgage rates, home equity loans ...

Dec. 4, 2006: Crooked inspectors, landlord mortgage fraud ...

Nov. 27, 2006: Option periods, terminating listing agreements ...

Nov. 20, 2006: Landlords not making repairs, getting out of co-ownership ...

Nov. 13, 2006: Managing condos without a license, easements ...

Nov. 6, 2006: Mediation, encroaching fences ...

Oct. 30, 2006: Altering listing agreements, paying commissions to HOAs ...

Oct. 23, 2006: Adverse possession, simultaneous closings ...

Oct. 16, 2006: Leases and foreclosure, CMAs ...

Oct. 9, 2006: Termite inspections, bidding on foreclosures ...

Oct. 2, 2006: Encroaching trees, restoring property to original condition ...

Sept. 25, 2006: Liens on homesteads, referral fees ...

Sept. 18, 2006: Protection periods, veteran programs ...

Sept. 11, 2006: Representation issues, disclosing inspection reports ...

Sept. 4, 2006: Voiding contracts, road frontage ...

Aug. 28, 2006: Transfer of deed restrictions, inheriting property ...

Aug. 21, 2006: Builders' lenders, dissolving condo associations ...

Aug. 14, 2006: Not accepting offers, keeping sales prices private ...

Aug. 7, 2006: Selling community property after divorce, flood zones ...

July 31, 2006: Deals falling through, disclosure

July 24, 2006: Fees other than commissions, seller's disclosure ...

July 17, 2006: Disclosing sex offenders, buyer's remorse ...

July 10, 2006: Deed restrictions, lease restrictions for military

July 3, 2006: Disclosing murder, referral fees ...

June 26, 2006: Fees to listing REALTORS®, deed restrictions ...

June 19, 2006: Homeowners associations, tax assessments ...

June 12, 2006: Loans for foreign buyers, licenses required ...

June 5, 2006: Sellers who lie, starting a career in real estate ...

May 29, 2006: Early lease termination, "typical" earnest money amounts ...

May 22, 2006: Disclosure by construction employees, property management forms ...

May 15, 2006: Option fees, mineral rights ...

May 1, 2006: Tax refunds, buying probated property ...

April 24, 2006: Property-tax exemptions, rates ...

April 17, 2006: License violations, probate issues...

April 10, 2006: Property management without a license, terminating agreements ...

April 3, 2006: Breaches of contract, land titles ...

March 27, 2006: Early lease terminations, listing agreements ...

March 20, 2006: Know who represents you, disclosure requirements ...

March 13, 2006: Bad tenants, bad agents, bad co-owners ...

March 6, 2006: Selling real estate without licenses, defining "commercial" property ...

Feb. 27, 2006: Square footage errors, appraisal laws ...

Feb. 20, 2006: Contingency contracts, FSBOs ...

Feb. 13, 2006: Seller's costs, conveying fixtures ...

Feb. 6, 2006: Disclosing murders, SEER ratings ...

Jan. 30, 2006: "As is" contracts, attorneys as real estate brokers ...

Jan. 23, 2006: Investment questions, earnest-money issues ...

Jan. 16, 2006: Sellers not disclosing, more on real estate investors ...

Jan. 9, 2006: Transaction fees, landlord access ...

Jan. 2, 2006: Issues with co-signers, unauthorized use of forms ...

Dec. 26, 2005: Commission rates, FIRPTA transactions ...

Dec. 19, 2005: Rules for investors, commission disputes ...

Dec. 12, 2005: Easements on foreclosures, inspections ...

Dec. 5, 2005: Accepting more than one offer, breaking leases ...

Nov. 28, 2005: Quit claim deeds, sellers' disclosures ...

Nov. 21, 2005: Enforcing HOA rules, backing out of a sale ...

Nov. 14, 2005: Landlord complaints, terminating listing agreements

Nov. 7, 2005: Eviction notices, TREC forms ...

Oct. 31, 2005: Contract contingencies, previous inspection reports ...

Oct. 24, 2005: Seller financing, correction deeds

Oct. 17, 2005: Adverse possession, do-not-call rules

Oct. 10, 2005: Sellers failing to disclose ...

Oct. 3, 2005: Builder disputes, removing names from mortgages ...

Sept. 26, 2005: Judgment sales, condo conversions ...

Sept. 19, 2005: Loan terms, leaky condos, TRCC complaints ...

Sept. 12, 2005: Easement and property-line disputes ...

Sept. 5, 2005: Mold, forced membership in homeowners associations ...

Aug. 29, 2005: Getting tenant deposits back, buying rural land ...

Aug. 22, 2005: Securing mineral rights, terminating representation ...

Aug. 15, 2005: Age requirements, amending homeowners-association rules ...

Aug. 8, 2005: New-home defects, utility inspections ...

Aug. 1, 2005: Selling without an agent, Dryvit decisions ...

July 25, 2005: Unethical advertising, landlord repairs ...

July 18, 2005: Mineral rights, forfeiting earnest money ...

July 11, 2005: Encroachments, death of seller ...

July 4, 2005: Builder deposits, property-tax protests ...

June 27, 2005: Protection periods, implied easements ...

June 20, 2005: Fraud, property taxes, FHA loans ...

June 13, 2005: Calculating poor workmanship, tax bills that predate ownership ...

June 6, 2005: Fence encroachments, nullifying leases ...

May 30, 2005: Failing to disclose insurance claims, working with more than one broker ...

May 23, 2005: Buyer's rep agreements, judgment liens ...

May 16, 2005: Unlicensed "consultants," fence disputes ...

May 9, 2005: REALTOR® commissions, multiple offers ...

May 2, 2005: Loan fraud, conflicting surveys ...

April 25, 2005: Commissions for FSBOs, dabbling in real estate ...

April 18, 2005: Working with family members in transactions, mineral rights ...

April 11, 2005: Loan problems, commission regulations

April 4, 2005: Fences across property lines, determining square footage ...

March 28, 2005: Ambushes by homeowners associations, failure to disclose leaking roofs ...

March 21, 2005: Interest-only loans, appraisal problems ...

March 14, 2005: Terminating agents, roof problems ...

March 7, 2005: Getting an agent’s commission, disclosing suicides ...

Feb. 28, 2005: Refinancing homes, builder obligations, home warranties ...

Feb. 21, 2005: Seller's disclosures by agents, problems with builders ...

Feb. 14, 2005: Calculating square footage, when a license is required, complaints against mortgage brokers ...

Feb. 7, 2005: Pro-rating property taxes, noisy neighbors, unethical mortgage brokers ...

Jan. 31, 2005: Disclosing unresolved problems, listing-agent obligations, recouping earnest money ...

Jan. 24, 2005: Appraisals, property taxes ...

Jan. 17, 2005: Sellers' liability for disclosure, conveying appliances ...

Jan. 10, 2005: Liens and title issues, sellers failing to disclose ...

Jan. 3, 2005: Inspecting FHA homes, explaining earnest money, locking interest rates ...

Dec. 27, 2004: Sellers failing to disclose, recourse against builders ...

Dec. 20, 2004: Skipping title insurance, non-standard fees to my agent ...

Dec. 13, 2004: Disclosing murders, agents damaging property ...

Dec. 6, 2004: Recourse against inspectors, inheriting property ...

Nov. 29, 2004: Challenging HOA rules, evicting tenants, confidential sales prices ...

Nov. 22, 2004: Real estate assistants, complaints about agents ...

Nov. 15, 2004: Termites in condos, finding contracts ...

Nov. 8, 2004: Buyers who are REALTORS®, consumers getting commissions ...

Nov. 1, 2004: Broken contracts, FSBOs in the MLS ...

Oct. 25, 2004: Landlord problems, disclosing natural-gas explosions ...

Oct. 18, 2004: Giving notice to landlords, commission agreements ...

Oct. 11, 2004: Showing homes under contract, breaking leases and contracts ...

Oct. 4, 2004: Homeowners associations, REALTOR® Code of Ethics ...

Sept. 27, 2004: Becoming a real estate appraiser, finding commercial property ...

Sept. 20, 2004: Recouping fees from sellers, recourse against REALTORS® ...

Sept. 13, 2004: Seller's inspections, condo conversion, disclosure ...

Sept. 6, 2004: Financing multiple investment properties, terminating leases ...

Aug. 30, 2004: Water heaters, buyer financing, seller's disclosure ...

Aug. 23, 2004: Complaints against brokers, foreclosed properties ...

Aug. 16, 2004: Title insurance, how to become a REALTOR® ...

Aug. 9, 2004: Sales-price data, terminating a contract, seller's disclosure ...

Aug. 2, 2004: Builder disclosure, interest rates, mold remediation ...

July 25, 2004: Disputes with builders, REALTOR® Ombudsman Program ...

July 18, 2004: Verbal contracts, pending listings, and relocation ...

July 11, 2004: Temporary leases and buyer's representation agreements ...

July 4, 2004: Complaints against REALTORS® and builders ...

June 27, 2004: Transactions without licensees, disclosure, flood maps ...

June 20, 2004: Terminating a contract, ethics violations ...

June 13, 2004: Tax bills from previous owners, incorrect square-footage appraisals, ...

June 6, 2004: A "seller's second," lenders requiring a real estate agent, ...

May 30, 2004: Option fees, fences across property lines, refinancing a mortgage ...

May 23, 2004: Earnest money, credit scores, downpayment assistance ...

May 16, 2004: Appraisal protests, Internet mortgage lenders ...

May 9, 2004: Subprime and predatory lending, property appreciation ...

May 2, 2004: Credit risk, other states' regulations ...

April 25, 2004: Contractor liens, open houses ...

April 18, 2004: Mineral rights, interest-only loans, renters insurance ...

April 11, 2004: Monitoring your credit score, flood insurance ...

April 4, 2004: Seller financing, becoming a landlord ...

March 28, 2004: Title insurance, conflict about Seller's Disclosure Notice ...

March 21, 2004: Co-owning property, unscrupulous contractors ...

March 7, 2004: First-time-homebuying advice, co-borrowing ...

Feb. 29, 2004: Paying taxes through lenders, problems with builders ...

Feb. 22, 2004: For sale by owner, depreciation ...

Feb. 15, 2004: REALTOR®'s obligations, builder disputes ...

Feb. 8, 2004: Unresponsive mortgage brokers, ineffective agents ...

Jan. 25, 2004: Appliances conveying, protecting earnest money ...

Jan 18, 2004: Do-not-call concerns, back-up offers ...

Jan. 4, 2004: Bankruptcy, PMI, deed restrictions ...