Title, Ownership & Dispute Matters

Beyond transaction services, we handle the disputes and documentation matters that arise when property ownership is in question, transfers have gone wrong, or landlord situations require a knowledgeable advocate.

Disputes & Advocacy

Residential Buy/Sell Disputes

Residential real estate transactions involve significant money, competing interests, and representations that are sometimes incorrect or incomplete. When a transaction goes wrong, we represent buyers and sellers in:

  • Nondisclosure claims (representing buyers who were not told about known defects or material conditions, and sellers facing claims of nondisclosure)
  • Misrepresentation and fraud (addressing false or misleading statements made during the sale, including claims involving agents and brokers)
  • Contract disputes (disputes over purchase agreements, contingencies, credits, and failure to close)
  • Post-closing disputes (claims that arise after title transfers, including damage discovery and indemnification issues)

Neighbor Disputes

Property conflicts between neighbors are some of the most disruptive — and often the most personal — legal disputes. We handle:

  • Boundary disputes (when property lines are unclear, contested, or have been encroached upon)
  • Easements (establishing, contesting, or enforcing easement rights, including access, utility, and prescriptive easements)
  • Private nuisance (interference with the use and enjoyment of property, including noise, odor, water intrusion, and encroachments)
  • Tree and fence disputes (damage caused by trees, shared fence obligations, and related property conflicts)

Landlord & Property Manager Representation

We represent landlords and property managers — not tenants. This work began with existing clients who owned investment property and needed consistent, responsive legal support.

  • Unlawful detainer (eviction) — non-payment, lease violations, holdover tenancies, and owner move-in situations, handled efficiently
  • Defense against habitability claims — responding to tenant allegations of substandard conditions, including warranty of habitability and related issues
  • Negligence and premises liability defense — defending property owners and managers against claims of injury or damage arising from conditions on the property
  • Lease review and counsel — reviewing residential lease agreements for existing clients and advising on landlord obligations under California law
Documents & Transactions

Deed & Title Work

Much of our real estate work is on the documentation side — preparing, recording, and correcting the instruments that establish and transfer property ownership.

  • Deed preparation and recording (grant deeds, quitclaim deeds, interspousal transfers, and deeds into or out of trust)
  • Preliminary Change of Ownership Reports (PCOR) — preparation and filing for all deed transactions
  • Property tax exclusion filings (parent-child exclusions, spousal exclusions, and other transfers that qualify for reassessment exclusions)
  • County assessor matters (responding to assessor inquiries, contesting assessments, and resolving ownership record discrepancies)
  • Title corrections and curative work (resolving defects in chain of title, correcting errors in recorded instruments, and clearing clouds on title)
  • Heggstad and similar petitions (when property was intended to be held in trust but was never properly transferred)

Real estate law covers a lot of ground, and the categories above reflect where we focus — not everything we're able to help with. If you have a matter that doesn't fit neatly into one of these areas, reach out for a free consultation. If you are buying a home and need attorney-led transaction counsel, see our Buyer Contract Review & Representation service.