Category Archives: Real Estate Law

What the Heck is Ground Rent?

Real Estate Law, ,
Baltimore Row Homes.

  According to The People’s Law Library of Maryland, “Ground rent is a periodic monetary payment by a tenant to a ground lease holder who holds a reversionary interest in the property or “ground” underneath a home.”   But what does that actually mean in plain English? Basically, for certain properties (most of which are located in Baltimore City), homeowners are required to pay a small sum of money (typically $50.00-$100.00 per year) to a person or company known as the ground rent holder.  This concept, which dates back to the 18th Century, still causes confusion to homeowners and mortgage companies unfamiliar with the practice.   If it’s that simple, why is it so confusing? Ground rent is an unfamiliar Read More

Golf Course Law: How inaccurate yardage markers cost one golf course millions

Business Law, General Law, Real Estate Law

There are numerous potential hazards on golf courses – which don’t involve water or sand.  Your golf course may be ripe with legal hazards, which will be far more expensive than a 2-stroke penalty. Have you ever thought about potential liability regarding your distance markers?  In a recent case, a golf course owner was deemed responsible for making sure that yardage markers embedded in the fairway or painted on the cart path were accurate.  What happened?  In this particular case, one golfer hit another golfer standing on the green with his ball.  The golfer on the green sued the golfer that hit him (because golfers are just about always responsible for damages incurred from their ball).  In turn, the golfer Read More