Land Sale Scams

A land sale scam, sometimes referred to as a dirt pile scam, refers to any transaction in which a seller of property convinces a buyer to buy property with a low value or no value for an excessive price.

Rights of a Possessor

At common law, possessors of property who sought to recover possession from a subsequent possessor could bring a suit that alleged a trespass to land or a trespass to chattels. Another form of relief was a suit that alleged conversion. Adherence to the pleading technicalities was critical, but in each case, the possessor had to allege that he or she was the prior possessor. Remedies in these common law actions included the recovery of the items allegedly taken or the ejectment of persons from the possessor's land.

Right-to-Farm Laws

Almost every state has enacted some type of right-to-farm law. In essence, the laws protect farmers from lawsuits by neighbors. Typically, the laws create a presumption that a farmer's existing agricultural pursuits do not create an actionable nuisance.

Types of Tenancies

Usually, when one thinks of the relationship between a landlord and a tenant, what comes to mind is a lease agreement between the parties where the tenant agrees to stay in the leased premises for a specified period of years and pay an agreed upon rent for the privilege of doing so. In actuality, the scenario described above is just one type of tenancy, a tenancy for years. The types of landlord/tenant relationships are as follows:

The Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act

The Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act is the federal law that addresses the health problems that have been associated with the use of lead-based paint in apartments and rental units. The Act and its enforcement regulations apply to rental properties that were built before 1978.