Problem
Jackie has been really happy with your advice so far. She is now dealing with another legal issue regarding some properties that she owns. She recently sold her farm house in Spotsylvania and moved to a house closer to her office in Manassas. She used the same title company for both the sale and purchase of the two properties. She recently received a summons to appear in the general district court in Spotsylvania regarding a claim that she did not have the right to sale the farm house in Spotsylvania. She inherited the farm house from her mother who she believed own the house. The law suit alleges that her mother only had a life estate in the property. She believed that her mother owned the house which had been in their family for three generation. She wants to understand what is a life estate. She then wants to know if the house that has passed three generation could be a life estate.
The second issue she is having is regarding a rental property that she owns. She has a tenant that installed three items in the home. The lease has expired and she is now concerned that the tenant will take out the items and effect the value of the home. They removed and replaced a chandelier in the dining room. They also installed a gas stove which required the installation of a gas pipe which upon removal would leave a pipe and large whole when removed. The last item is a refrigerator.
Advise Jackie on the sale of the farm house.
Advise Jackie on the status of the items in her rental property and whether or not she can keep them.