We handle most real estate matters including the following: Residential, Commercial, Industrial or Farm Transactions, including Purchase or Sale Transactions, Leasing, Zoning, including Subdivision and Land Development issues, Agricultural Preserve Easements. Litigation, including boundary disputes, adverse possession, land-locked properties, and Failure to Disclose (Seller hides negative information about the property). We also handle title insurance claims and real estate agent and broker malpractice and discipline cases. In addition we represent banks and mortgage lenders in regulatory , lending and collection matters.
In Sales and Purchase transactions we represent Sellers, Buyers, Lenders, Relocation Companies and Real Estate Agents in the purchase or sale of Homes, Commercial Properties, Industrial Properties and Farms. We have three related companies: First Intermediary Corporation handles Like-Kind Exchanges under IRC 1031, Academy Professional Settlement Services, LLC is a residential Title Insurance Agent, and Academy Commercial Settlement Services, LLC, is a national commercial and industrial title insurance agent.
Our Litigation services include prosecution and defense of cases where there is an allegation that a Seller failed to disclose a material condition of a property before settlement. We often are called upon to deal with boundary disputes between neighboring properties. This includes survey errors, interpretation of deeds and easement agreements, shared driveway disputes and getting access for landlocked parcels. Mr. Tupitza has written extensively on this topic including the definitive book entitled "Boundary Law in Pennsylvania", published by the Pennsylvania Bar Institute. We also handle litigation involving disputes over lien priority. Mr. Tupitza is the author of the book "Who's on First : Lien Priority in Pennsylvania." Several Title Insurance Companies assign us to represent their insureds where title claims arise. This causes us to challenge tax sales, bring actions to clear title to real estate, challenge liens and encumbrances and secure access to property.
We also handle business and personal civil litigation in both state courts and in the federal courts. This litigation includes jury and non-jury trials. This litigation includes unfair competition, breach of contract, malicious abuse of process (Dragonetti Act) and similar cases. This includes commercial mortgage foreclosure.
We have considerable experience with appeals to the Pennsylvania and Federal Appellate Courts.
Our Zoning and Land Development work includes: Subdivision and Land Development, Variances, Special Exceptions and Conditional Use Applications. We regularly represent clients before townships, Zoning Hearing Boards and in appeals.
