Focused Real Estate Representation

Real estate law is broad, and we don't do all of it. What we do handle are the matters involving California real property where experienced legal counsel makes a meaningful difference — disputes that need to be resolved, documents that need to be done right, and landlord situations that 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)

We also assist existing clients with review of real estate-related contracts on a selective basis.

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.