Arizona Real Estate Notebook

by Phoenix attorney Christopher A. Combs, partner with Combs Law Group, P.C.

Question: We live in a nice, quiet neighborhood in Glendale. Two months ago one of our neighbors sold their house to a young unmarried couple who constantly have loud parties. In addition, they and their friends walk around their house and yard with little […]

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by Phoenix attorney Christopher A. Combs, partner with Combs Law Group, P.C.

Question: Last year I purchased a townhouse in Scottsdale. The seller had only owned the townhouse for three months and had never even lived in the townhouse. The termite inspection report that I had done showed that there was no evidence of current or […]

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by Phoenix attorney Christopher A. Combs, partner with Combs Law Group, P.C.

Question: We have listed our Mesa home for sale. Three days ago, a neighbor down the street was arrested for sexually assaulting his stepdaughter. Everyone in our neighborhood is shocked because this neighbor was a very nice person. This neighbor is now out on […]

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by Phoenix attorney Christopher A. Combs, partner with Combs Law Group, P.C.

Question: Last month we rented an older home in North Phoenix. When we rented the home the landlord knew that we had two small children. We have now received a notice from the City of Phoenix that a pool barrier fence is required under […]

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by Phoenix attorney Christopher A. Combs, partner with Combs Law Group, P.C.

Question: During the inspection period, the buyer did not notice any odor in the home. After the inspection period expired, however, the buyer then noticed a very strong foul odor in the home. The seller’s cleaning lady told the buyer that the seller knew […]

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by Phoenix attorney Christopher A. Combs, partner with Combs Law Group, P.C.

Question: We purchased an old “fixer upper” in Glendale. In the process of doing work on the home, we learned that the seller did not have permits from the City of Glendale to enclose the garage and add on the fourth bedroom. The inspector […]

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by Phoenix attorney Christopher A. Combs, partner with Combs Law Group, P.C. Question: Before my husband and I were married we purchased a one-acre parcel of land in the New River area. We took title as Joint Tenants with Right of Survivorship. Inasmuch as both of us are getting older, we are not sure if we […]

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by Phoenix attorney Christopher A. Combs, partner with Combs Law Group, P.C. Question: The MLS listing information per the county assessor’s records stated that the square footage of the home was 3150 square feet. When the seller purchased the property two years earlier, however, the appraisal by the lender at that time showed that the square […]

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by Phoenix attorney Christopher A. Combs, partner with Combs Law Group, P.C. Question: Several years ago my mother bought a home in the Heber-Overgaard area in the White Mountains. My mother owned this home as Joint Tenants with Right of Survivorship (“JTWROS”) with me. My mother has passed away, and I am now the sole owner […]

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Don’t let the title fool you, between the lines the post below is filled with pain, infidelity, anger and revenge.

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by Phoenix attorney Christopher A. Combs, partner with Combs Law Group, P.C. Question: My husband and I purchased our home in Phoenix forty years ago. After he died three months ago, I learned that he had been having an affair with a lady in his office for almost ten years. In fact, not only did he […]

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by Phoenix attorney Christopher A. Combs, partner with Combs Law Group, P.C. Question: In a recent article you discussed the advantages of changing a deed on a home or other real property from joint tenancy with right of survivorship (“JTWROS”) to community property with right of survivorship (“CPWROS”). Your article did not give details. My inquiries […]

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by Phoenix attorney Christopher A. Combs, partner with Combs Law Group, P.C. Question: My brother and his wife own a cabin in the Show Low area. My brother said that he would sell the cabin to me for $125,000. Even though the cabin needed some repair work, my wife and I were very excited. In fact, […]

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by Phoenix attorney Christopher A. Combs, partner with Combs Law Group, P.C. Question: When we rented our apartment we paid a security deposit of $500 to the property management company. The property management company is located in our apartment building, and we have enjoyed working with them. The property management company has now sent us a […]

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by Phoenix attorney Christopher A. Combs, partner with Combs Law Group, P.C. Question: My sister is buying a house in Mesa. The seller is an illegal alien. Ten years ago, the seller bought a social security card that belonged to someone else with the same name, and used this social security card to get a loan […]

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by Phoenix attorney Christopher A. Combs, partner with Combs Law Group, P.C. Question: My husband and I purchased our Tempe home seven years ago as community property with right of survivorship (“CPWROS”). We recently established a living trust, and transferred our Tempe home to ourselves as trustees of the living trust. The home is now worth […]

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by Phoenix attorney Christopher A. Combs, partner with Combs Law Group, P.C. Question: We share a common wall with our neighbor in a Prescott subdivision. Our neighbor has four large pine trees in his backyard. The branches of these trees have grown over the common wall into our backyard. These trees drop pine needles and seed […]

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by Phoenix attorney Christopher A. Combs, partner with Combs Law Group, P.C. Question: Our partnership is selling eighty acres of land near Florence. The buyer paid a $100,000 earnest money deposit and had a sixty-day “due diligence” period to conduct all inspections relating to the property. The sixty-day period has passed, and escrow is scheduled to […]

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by Phoenix attorney Christopher A. Combs, partner with Combs Law Group, P.C. Question: The purchase contract for the new home requires the signature of the buyer for the acceptance of the public report. On the signature line, however, the buyer printed his name. Is the printing of the buyer’s name sufficient “signing” for acceptance of the […]

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by Phoenix attorney Christopher A. Combs, partner with Combs Law Group, P.C. Question: I am a widow, and my husband passed away almost two years ago. I plan to continue to live in our Phoenix home, and leave this home as well as two rental houses in Chandler to my two adult children. The deeds to […]

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by Phoenix attorney Christopher A. Combs, partner with Combs Law Group, P.C. Question: After owning the home for three months, the seller signed a Contract to sell the home. The seller disclosed in the SPDS that the home was connected to the sewer. The former owner of the home had told the seller that the […]

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by Phoenix attorney Christopher A. Combs, partner with Combs Law Group, P.C. Question: The buyer’s agent (a female) has shown the buyer (a male) several homes. The buyer makes an offer on a home, but the offer is rejected by the seller with no counter-offer. The listing agent then contacts the buyer’s agent and states that […]

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by Phoenix attorney Christopher A. Combs, partner with Combs Law Group, P.C. Question: We are the property management company for a large apartment complex in Phoenix. Many of our residents are concerned about security in the apartment complex because of the publicity about the “Baseline Killer” and the “Serial Shooter.” We have now installed security cameras, […]

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by Phoenix attorney Christopher A. Combs, partner with Combs Law Group, P.C. Question: Twenty-one years ago I purchased a home in north Phoenix with my parents as joint tenants with right of survivorship. My parents paid the $15,000 down payment, but I have made all of the mortgage, insurance, and property tax payments since the purchase […]

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by Phoenix attorney Christopher A. Combs, partner with Combs Law Group, P.C. Question: After not passing the real estate exam the first two times, the third time was the charm. I am now an Arizona real estate licensee. Yippee! Even better, I have my first client. My brother is buying a home from a “for sale […]

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