Real Estate Law

Serving West Virginia and Ohio, including Parkersburg, Charleston, Morgantown, Huntington, Wheeling, Belpre, and Athens

Real estate law is the branch of law that governs how real estate property is sold, purchased, and maintained. Real estate refers to the land and any real property that is located on the land such as a home, commercial building, or private buildings. Disputed claims between two or more parties usually need the help of real estate lawyers to guide the litigation and make sure all parties are fairly compensated.

Real property refers to the land and items that are considered affixed to the land. Items that fall under real property are those that are considered improvements to the land and those that are beneath the land. These items include:

• Buildings
• Homes
• Garages
• Minerals
• Gas
• Oil

Items that are not considered real property are those that are not attached to the land such as tool sheds and mobile homes.

When you own real property, you can do with it as you please with some restrictions established by law. When you own land, you have the right to:

• Build on it
• Lease or tent it
• Transfer it
• Sell it
• Give it away
• Bequeath it
• Use it as collateral
• Leave it be

Types of Property Ownership

There are several ways someone can own property and have rights to the property. The common ways a person can own property are:

• Joint Tenancy
• Tenancy in the Entirety
• Sole Ownership
• Tenants in Common
• Community Property

Types of Real Estate Disputes

The court system is in place to help resolve real estate disputes that cannot be resolved between the parties involved. Some of the more common types of real estate disputes are:

• Ownership claims
• Foreclosures
• Insurance claims that are denied
• Disputes with the Home Owner's Association
• Easements and rights-of-way
• Property line disputes
• Buyer and seller disputes
• Transactions with a broker

A real estate lawyer is the best person to have when you are going through real estate litigation. Real estate law is highly complex. There are many ways people may be entitled to the land or the property on the land. A real estate lawyer will help you understand your rights and what you are entitled to concerning the property.

Please contact our Ohio and West Virginia real estate lawyers today. We are available to answer all of your questions and help you with your real estate litigation.