As more and more states allow medical marijuana use, landlords face the question of whether to allow tenants to smoke pot for medical reasons. On the one hand, even if medical marijuana is legal under state law, it’s still technically illegal under federal law – even if the federal government is doing little or nothing to block the drug’s medical use. On the other hand, landlords are generally required to make reasonable accommodations for disabled tenants,

Back in the old days, the typical homebuyer was a married couple. But today, there’s a huge increase in the number of unmarried couples who are buying a home together. It might not sound very romantic, but it’s a good idea for such couples to think about what their financial obligations will be regarding the home, and what would happen if they were to split up at some point in the future. For instance, you might

If you’re involved in the sale or lease of commercial real estate, very often you’ll be asked to sign a “letter of intent.” A letter of intent isn’t a formal lease or purchase agreement; rather, it’s a signed statement that the parties plan to negotiate a deal later that involves certain elements. Because a letter of intent doesn’t seem like a contract – it seems more like a simple handshake acknowledgement that the parties hope to

Starting October 1, 2011, large home mortgages on expensive houses are harder to get – because the U.S. government is trying to gradually play less of a role in the mortgage market. Currently, government-related entities such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guarantee or purchase the majority of home mortgages in the U.S. Lenders are much more willing to provide mortgages if they know the loan can be backed by these entities. However, the U.S. doesn’t