Yearly Archives: 2017
Gated Communities, Private Roads and Public Services: a Practical Guide
A general law city has exclusive control over its city streets, and private citizens cannot restrict access to public roads; therefore, all roads in a gated community must be private roads. The city can sell public streets to private interests by following certain procedures. Once the roads are private, however, the city cannot enforce… Read More »
Short Term Rentals in a Changing Texas Legal Landscape
Perhaps you are going on vacation, heading to a wedding or taking a college tour trip. The city you are visiting normally has ample hotel space, but a convention is in town and everything is booked or rates are at a premium. What to do? Short-term rentals of residences (STRs) are changing the travel… Read More »
City Real Estate Sales 101
How do you sell city-owned real estate? Is it hard? Can it take a long time? The answer to all these questions is yes, as I told the Mayor. The first question you have to ask is: what type of property is it? The second question is: what type of city is selling its… Read More »
Anatomy of a Deed
In some cases, the ownership of real property—even property worth millions of dollars—is evidenced solely by what is printed on one side of a single sheet of paper. I am referring, of course, to a deed. While there is technically no minimum or maximum number of pages required for a deed, the law does… Read More »
Wraparound Mortgage or Lease Option in Texas Real Estate?
The wraparound mortgage and the lease option are two creative ways to sell residential real estate in Texas. They both offer an alternative to buyers and sellers who are unwilling or unable to use conventional lending to close the purchase and sale of the property. Unfortunately, both methods are also subject to strict governmental… Read More »
A Tale of Three Cities: Economic Development Strategies
True economic development goes well beyond providing incentives here and there for a shiny new establishment or single employer. While such initiatives are welcome in any community, a city should gather a set of tools to foster economic growth that is renewable and expandable over time. Ideally, a community seeks to bring together businesses… Read More »
The ABCs of Economic Development: It’s Easy as 1,2,3….
The Jackson Five number one hit in 1970 was the song “ABC,” knocking The Beatles hit “Let It Be” off the top of the Billboard Hot 100. Draft the proper economic development agreement and you can be in the Hot 100. So, as the lyrics go, You went to school to learn, girl, Things… Read More »
How to Know Which House Fixtures Can Leave with the Seller
Let’s say you’re in the market for a new home. You go to an open house in your target area and find “the one.” Walking in, you’re wowed by the layout, the natural lighting, and the kitchen—oh, the kitchen! It has brand new, ultra-modern frosted glass cabinets, all new high-end stainless steel appliances, and… Read More »
Legalities and Practicalities: Recognizing the Difference in TV Dramas and Real Life
My lovely wife, despite being several years younger than I, has television viewing habits that one might normally associate with, shall we say, a slightly older demographic. Or, to put it another way, she likes Murder, She Wrote and Matlock. I find this hilarious for a couple of reasons. First, my wife watches these… Read More »
A Guide to Home Rule Cities of Fort Bend County
Not all city governments in Texas are created alike, as there are two categories: general law cities and home rule cities. The latter have their own charters and the composition of those can vary from one home rule city to the other. For example, Fort Bend County has seven home rule cities, and as… Read More »