Feb. 1, 2010
Dear George: Twenty-five years ago, my parents purchased a home with my sister and my sister's husband. My mother passed away five years ago and left no will. My father now owns half the house, and my sister and brother-in-law own half. My sister and brother-in-law refinanced the home recently and left my dad's name off the loans; he has poor credit. I want to make sure that Dad is still on the title. My sister and brother-in-law have been avoiding my questions. What can I do?
Answer: You can check whether your Dad is still on the title. Call a few title companies and ask how much it costs to run a title search on the property. Pick a company and provide them with the address. The title search will tell you who has legal claim to the property.
Dear George: My husband and I deeded to our daughter two acres of land to be used as a downpayment for a new mobile home. The home was set up on the two acres, and my daughter was paying the lender. However, now she can't keep up with the payments. Those two acres are part of our 46-acre parcel, and my husband and I want to assume the note. How do we save the home and the land?
Answer: Have your daughter deed the property to you right away. Next, go to a different lender and work out a way to pay off the loan. Those steps will take care of the imminent threat and give you time to make long-term plans.
E-mail a question to ask George & Chuck or fax it to 713-978-6684. The answers to questions in this column do not contain legal advice. If you wish to obtain legal advice, you should consult your own attorney.
