Joseph Battaglia
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Breaking Bad: Bankruptcy Filings Rise 13%
According to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Federal Courts, bankruptcy filings, both personal and business, are on the rise. Bankruptcy filings are reported quarterly, with the most recent quarter being the third straight quarter of increased filings. The entire announcement from the Courts is included, below: Total bankruptcy filings rose 13 percent, and business…
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The Silent Thief: Fraudulent Documents Can Steal Your Property
Don’t Let Your Home Be Next Real property fraud is a serious crime that can have devastating consequences for the victim. It can involve the theft of a property, the loss of a home, or financial ruin. A common type of real property fraud is the filing of false documents. In some cases, the fraudster…
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Good Deeds Come Cheap (and sometimes, free)
Don’t Get Tricked into Paying More Than You Should for a Copy of Your Deed If you’re a new homeowner in Florida, you may have received a letter in the mail offering to provide you with a copy of your property deed for a fee of $100.00 or more. If you have received such a…
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What is an Estoppel Certificate?
An estoppel certificate is a document that provides statutorily-mandated information about a property owner’s account with their homeowners association (HOA). Estoppel certificates are governed by Florida Statutes Section 720.30851. One definition of the word “estoppel” means to preclude a person from asserting something contrary to what is implied by a previous action or statement of…
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Lakewood Ranch Attorney Joseph Battaglia Certified by the Florida Bar as a Specialist in the Area of Real Estate Law
Battaglia Law, PLLC is proud to announce that, on August 1, 2023, attorney Joseph B. Battaglia became Board Certified by the Florida Bar in Real Estate Law Licensed in 2008, Mr. Battaglia practiced for a number of years exclusively in the areas of bankruptcy and debtor-creditor litigation. However, in 2016 he decided to refresh his…
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How Title Insurance May Have Saved My Client One Million Dollars
When title insurance is needed, it’s worth every penny. I recently assisted a client who had purchased a home in Lakewood Ranch and paid cash. My office did not handle the closing, nor was I involved in any way with the real estate closing at the time. Rather, my client hired me about 7 months…
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FAR/BAR Residential Contract and FAR/BAR “As Is” Residential Contract Revised as of July 1, 2023
The Florida Realtors / Florida Bar (“FARBAR”) Residential Contract for Sale and Purchase and the “AS IS” Residential Contract for Sale and Purchase have been updated as of July 1, 2023. The new revised versions are identifiable by “6x” and “Rev. 7/23” notations towards the lower left-hand corner of each contract. The changes to both…
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SB264 – New Florida Law Prohibits “Foreign Principals” from Purchasing Certain Florida Real Property
A new law in Florida will prohibit “foreign principals” from purchasing agricultural land or certain real property in the state. The new law, Senate Bill 264, was signed into law on May 8, 2023, and becomes effective July 1, 2023. The law creates what is now Part III of Florida Statutes Chapter 692 (to be…
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The Case of the Fake Cases
A Cautionary Tale of the Risk of Blind Reliance on Artificial Intelligence. In a recent federal case, two lawyers were sanctioned by a judge for citing fake cases in their brief that was filed with the court. This occurred in the case of Mata v. Avianca, Inc., Case 22-cv-1461, filed in U.S. District Court for…
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Dear Grads (2023): A Reminder to Wear Sunscreen
Ladies and gentlemen of the Class of 2023… It’s hard to believe that a quarter-century has passed since I was a wide-eyed high school senior, full of hopes and dreams. As I sit here, a seasoned attorney, I can’t help but reflect on the journey that has brought me to this point. And, curiously, a…