Rhode Island Real Estate Lawyer Blog

The federal Fair Housing Act, originally passed in 1964 and amended several times since its passage, protects Rhode Island home buyers and renters from certain types of discrimination based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, and age, among other protected statuses. Real estate agents, developers, property owners,…

Protecting familial assets from unnecessary taxation upon the death of a spouse, parent, or other beneficiary is one of the primary benefits of effective New England estate planning. Establishing trusts, wills, and other estate planning instruments is essential to protecting assets within a family. A recent decision by the Massachusetts Supreme Court demonstrates the importance…

As communities in New England continue to grow at a rapid rate, businesses and property developers may plan Rhode Island construction projects that require the rerouting or elimination of public roads. Occasionally, other residents or businesses who oppose eliminating or changing a public road for a private purpose may object to the construction plans. In…

The real estate market in Rhode Island is active, as many homes that would have been listed earlier in the year are being listed and sold now as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. In a market like this, homes are often sold quickly after they are listed, and anyone interested in buying a property…

In accordance with a federal order recently filed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Rhode Island district courts have extended an existing moratorium on residential evictions until the end of the year. The CDC has ordered courts in all 50 states to forbid landlords from evicting their residential tenants for nonpayment…

The cost of elder care in the United States, and New England in particular, could bankrupt many families in a matter of months without financial planning and the help of government assistance. If an older person is in need of long-term care services in Rhode Island, approval for Medicaid can save them and their family…

International economic and public health crises are bound to have some effect on real estate markets worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic represents a public health and an economic crisis. Consequently, the pandemic has certainly had a significant effect on the Rhode Island real estate market. Earlier this month, a popular newspaper interviewed five Rhode Island real…

Rhode Island eviction proceedings, as well as those across New England, are designed to be streamlined in ways that allow summary cases to proceed quickly through the system to keep the courts from being overrun by those that could be quickly resolved. Because these summary proceedings are often simplified, state legislatures require that the procedural…

Most Rhode Island personal injury and insurance disputes must be filed with the court within the statute of limitations that is set by the state legislature. Because plaintiffs are often overwhelmed and or unaware of the potential for a claim for damages, lawsuits are often dismissed when plaintiffs fail to file suit within the statute…

Beachfront property can be some of the most valuable and desirable real estate in Rhode Island. However, beachfront property owners often face difficulties in exercising their property rights and maintaining privacy when members of the public seek to use beaches abutting a property owners’ home. These conflicts impact not only beach-lovers, but also property owners…