Real Estate

We recently achieved a very favorable result from the Illinois Appellate Court.  Our client was an elderly woman who bought a home in joint tenancy with her husband in 1963.  She left the abusive relationship and divorced her husband in 1968 while remaining on the title to the home.  Her ex-husband remarried and remained in the home with his new family until his death in 1993.  By law, the title vested entirely in our client at that time.  However, her ex-husband's new wife and daughter failed to notify our client of the death and continued to use and occupy the property until they decided

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the world for all of us.  The shutdown of much of the economy is having severe impacts on landlords and tenants alike.  Here are answers to some of the frequently asked questions we have been getting from our landlord clients.

1. The right to visit and inspect your property.  Your tenant does not have the right to bar you from accessing the real estate that you own.  The law requires only that you visit at reasonable times and with reasonable notice.  Absent an emergency, it is best to give notice of a visit at least 24 hours in advance.  Notice of an inspection can be given by telephone, voice mail, text or e-mail.

Here at the Law Offices of Thaddeus M. Bond, Jr. & Associates, P.C., our two attorneys have nearly 60 years combined experience practicing in Lake County, IL.  Our title insurance officer and escrow closer has over 30 years experience as well.  How does this help our clients?

Wire fraud schemes targeting home buyers and sellers, attorneys, and settlement agents continue to increase in frequency and scope.  The fraudsters are attempting to divert sellers’ proceeds and buyers’ incoming funds by intercepting e-mails containing wire instructions, changing the content of the email and the wire instructions in the e-mail attachments, and redirecting funds.

Legal matters involve sensitive and sometimes uncomfortable issues.  You have to know that you can trust your attorney and that the information you provide will not be disclosed to the wrong people and will not be used to your detriment.  How can you find out if you can trust the lawyer that you are considering hiring?

Wondering what it costs to evict a tenant in Lake County, Illinois?  Here is our current fee structure:

• $500 flat fee plus costs for an uncontested case.  $800 flat fee plus costs if the tenant requests and is granted a trial or files a motion to vacate a default judgment.
• Costs average $400-$800 and cover such things as the court filing fee, service of process fees and/or the costs to have the sheriff schedule and attend an eviction.

In order to win an eviction case, you need to convince a judge that the occupant of the property no longer has the right to be there, either because of non-payment of rent or violation of other lease terms.  Once you prove to the court that a proper pre-lawsuit notice was served and the tenant still did not leave, you will get an order telling the tenant to vacate.  If the tenant still does not leave, you must hire the county sheriff to enforce the court order.

Whether you are the seller or the buyer in the deal, don't wait to call our real estate attorneys. We can provide the legal services you need, tailored to where you are in the process. Here are some of the things we do for our clients: