Newsletters

Tangible and Intangible Property

Property is an external thing that can be owned or possessed. Property can be divided into two categories: tangible and intangible. The word tangible refers to something that has a definable physical form that can be felt or touched. The word intangible refers to something that cannot be perceived by the senses.

Concurrent Ownership of Real Estate

Real estate may be owned by one or more people at the same time. This is called concurrent ownership. The three kinds of concurrent ownership are tenancy in common, joint tenancy, and tenancy by the entireties.

Common Areas

With various forms of property ownership, including condominiums and timeshares, property owners become liable for common area maintenance fees. Such fees vary widely from property to property. In fact, common area maintenance fees can be quite expensive. Hence, it is an important area of consideration for all property owners and prospective property owners.

The Historic Homeowner -- State and Local Preservation Laws

The issue of historic preservation is governed by a myriad of federal, state, and local laws. Generally speaking, the purpose of preservation laws is to encourage the recognition of historic resources, as well as the preservation of those resources. Without question, historic preservation is a legitimate governmental objective. On the state and local levels, historic preservation controls may be enacted subject to the applicable constitutional constraints.

The Historic Homeowner -- Federal Laws of Interest

On the federal level, the subject of historic preservation is governed by numerous laws, including the Antiquities Act of 1906, the Historic Sites Act of 1935, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990, the American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978, and the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act, to name a few.