While cross-complaints for declaratory relief in partition actions can be appropriate for clarifying the rights and duties of parties concerning the property in dispute, their utility may be limited as to ownership disputes since they are already at issue in every partition. Cross-Complaints in a Partition Action In California, Code of Civil Procedure § 428.10 … Read More
California recognizes different forms of property co-ownership, the most common and default of which is tenants in common. California Civil Code 682 recognizes “ownership of property by several persons” in these forms: (a) Of joint interest. (b) Of partnership interests. (c) Of interests in common. (d) Of community interest of spouses. This article specifically focuses on tenants in common as the … Read More
It’s not uncommon for one co-owner to bear the brunt of property taxes, especially in scenarios where one co-owner resides on the property while others do not. An issue arises when this arrangement leads to a disparity in financial contributions for maintenance and obligations tied to the property. Implications of Financial Distress The failure of … Read More
When defendants in a partition action ignore the summons and complaint, the plaintiff is entitled to obtain a default judgment ordering that the property be partitioned, usually by a forced sale. Indeed, some co-owners fail to respond to attempts to discuss the use, management, or sale of the property. When this occurs out of court, … Read More
The fundamental rule of joint tenancy is the right of survivorship, by which the public learns about the current ownership through a recorded affidavit of death of joint tenant. This article explains joint tenancy and what to do when a joint tenant dies. What is Joint Tenancy? Joint tenancy, also known as joint tenancy with … Read More
The rise of interest rates that started in mid-2022 is a common concern tor co-owners considering a partition action to end their co-ownership of real property. This is because co-owner buyouts, as are common outcome of a partition action, can be harder to accomplish when the buying co-owner must borrow money at a higher interest … Read More
Utilizing an escrow may prove to be a cost-effective way to complete a co-owner buyout as the resolution to a co-ownership dispute. The role of using an escrow company during a real estate transaction is to facilitate a smooth and secure transactions between co-owners by creating trust through the use of a neutral third-party. This … Read More
No. A common misconception is that a majority of the ownership interests are needed for a court to compel the sale of a jointly-owned property in a partition. This belief is entirely incorrect. Any owner, regardless of their ownership percentage, can initiate the sale of the property, whether they hold 99% or merely 1% of … Read More
One of the most common reasons that a partition action is filed is because a co-owner who was previously in a relationship with their other co-owner now wants to sell the house, but their ex refuses. It’s not uncommon for one property owner to add their soon-to-be spouse to the title of their home in … Read More
A TIC agreement, short for tenants in common agreement, is becoming a popular method for co-ownership in California, often converting a single property into a townhome with multiple units occupied by unrelated co-owners. Popular for decades in San Francisco, the Los Angeles Times recently reported that the trend has headed to LA where developers are … Read More
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