Sunday, June 4, 2017

The Homeskape Project Update : Our Property in Upstate New York

(FOR DETAILS CLICK THE LINKS IN THE POST)

As some of you may know, we started this blog here on Homeskape.com to document an experiment. 

What if you could build a sustainable homestead with no money? 

Well, by that standard we failed miserably right off the bat.  We had to buy land.  And my impatience made me buy some material.  Nevertheless we are learning quite about land investing, land harvesting, farming, sustainable building, recycled materials, tiny home design and more on our journey. 

My name is Nick, most of the time you can find me consulting clients via NicholasCoriano.com or Cervitude.com.  I am also an investor in companies and entrepreneur as well as real estate through my company Homescape LLC. (see all our land for sale at Homeskape.net). 

I also blog here on Homeskape.com about land investing (since I'm a land investor), sustainable living ideas (since I need the ideas to build a sustainable property) and land/real estate law (since I'm taking the bar exam in New York).  I think these things will help people that are looking to invest in land or are interested in eco friendly building, sustainable living and tiny homes.  I like to help people :)

I live in Connecticut USA and in 2013 bought 8.9 acres for myself in upstate New York.  Spending all the money I had on the piece of land, I wanted to see if I could develop the property with no money.  Like I said, I failed miserably but did some cool things along the way like:
  • Trade an old camper I bought for $500 for a driveway to be put in; which would have cost over $3,000
  • Traded with lumber jacks a few trees in exchange for plywood and 2x4s from a barn that was disassembled. 
  • Picked up free windows to use for a tiny home/cabin we are building
  • and more
I have all my properties for sale, including the property in New York.  While I own them, I improve them.  So the value goes up as well as the usability.  Here is the NY land for sale on LandWatch.  The cabin/structure now has some siding on it.   I wanted to showcase some pictures & videos of the trips I've taken to the property:

VIDEOS OF ME WALKING THE FRONT AND THE BACK ON THE PROPERTY:


MORE PICTURES ...



PICTURES OF ME & MY BROTHER FRAMING THE CABIN


Thanks for stopping by!  Reach out to me anytime!

Twitter: @homeskape

Real Covenants (Affirmative & Restrictive) - Real Estate & Land Investing Terms

Affirmative & Restrictive Real Covenants

Okay, the secret is out.  I am currently studying for my bar exam.  In the process, I must study real property law and other areas of law that pertain to real estate and may be helpful to a real estate or land investor.  I figured since I was studying anyways, I might as well put each topic one video at a time.  I also started a YouTube channel which can be seen here.

Real Covenants.  A real covenant is "a promise that concerns the use of land."  There are two types of covenants; (1) a restrictive covenant and (2) an affirmative covenant. 

Restrictive covenant: Promises not to do something. 
Affirmative covenant: Promises to do something.

For example, if someone has 100 acres and is looking to sell 50 to a homesteader, he may include a covenant that states that the homesteader is to only build his barn a certain way to keep the aesthetic appeal of the neighborhood. This would be an affirmative covenant.

If the land owner has a covenant that states that the homesteader may not build a barn; this would be a restrictive covenant. 


Follow me on Twitter @NicholasCoriano or follow @homeskape for real estate tips, architecture, tiny homes and land investing advice and feel free to email at Homeskape@gmail.com

"Licenses & Profits" Real Estate & Land Investing Terms

"Licenses & Profits"

Okay, the secret is out.  I am currently studying for my bar exam.  In the process, I must study real property law and other areas of law that pertain to real estate and may be helpful to a real estate or land investor.  I figured since I was studying anyways, I might as well put each topic one video at a time.  I also started a YouTube channel which can be seen here.

License.  A license gives someone the right to enter and use the property of another for a particular purpose.  Examples of this include when you walk into a store or commercial enterprise because it is open to patrons.  In fact, the business has given you the license to enter the real estate.  A license can be written or implied.  It is not an interest in land and generally can be revoked at any time. 

Profit.  Interest in real property to take natural interest in the property of another.  This is the case is mineral rights such as timber, oil, gas or other minerals.  If you establish an agreement to take sell the rights to the trees on your 10 acres; in essence you are making a profit agreement.


Follow me on Twitter @NicholasCoriano or follow @homeskape for real estate tips, architecture, tiny homes and land investing advice and feel free to email at Homeskape@gmail.com

Saturday, June 3, 2017

Termination of Easements : Land Investing 101

Termination of Easements

Okay, the secret is out.  I am currently studying for my bar exam.  In the process, I must study real property law and other areas of law that pertain to real estate and may be helpful to a real estate or land investor.  I figured since I was studying anyways, I might as well put each topic one video at a time.  I also started a YouTube channel which can be seen here.

All easements are assumed to be perpetual.  This means that all easements are assumed to go on forever.  But, as is the case with most law (including real estate law) there are always exceptions.  An easement can be terminated in one of seven ways.
  1. By terms stated in the easement. This can be the case if when an easement is created it states that it will only last for a certain amount of time.  At the end of that time the easement ends. 
  2. When released by the holder.  This is the case when someone using an easement releases the burdened estate from the easement. 
  3. When abandoned by the holder.  This is the case when a property has an easement and it is not used.  The court will deem the easement abandoned if the benefited estate no longer uses the easement after some time.
  4. By merger of title.  An easement can end when the benefited estate and the burdened estate are joined into one property.  For example, if the benefited estate purchased the burdened estate of vice versa.  This merger of the title eliminates the need for the easement and the easement is thus terminated.   
  5. Destruction of the servient estate.  If the servient estate is destroyed, then no easement is needed. 
  6. Necessity ends.  If the easement was created by necessity; then the easement is terminated when the necessity ends.
  7. Prescription.  See talk on "prescription" in our blog about "Creation of Easements"

Follow me on Twitter @NicholasCoriano or follow @homeskape for real estate tips, architecture, tiny homes and land investing advice and feel free to email at Homeskape@gmail.com

Scope of Easements : Land Investing 101

Scope of Easements

Okay, the secret is out.  I am currently studying for my bar exam.  In the process, I must study real property law and other areas of law that pertain to real estate and may be helpful to a real estate or land investor.  I figured since I was studying anyways, I might as well put each topic one video at a time.  I also started a YouTube channel which can be seen here.

The scope of the easement can not exceed the scope of the original easement. 

But, if unforeseeable circumstances change that would change the scope of the easement, then the easement can exceed the scope of the original easement as long as the easement does not create an excess burden on the burdened property


Follow me on Twitter @NicholasCoriano or follow @homeskape for real estate tips, architecture, tiny homes and land investing advice and feel free to email at Homeskape@gmail.com

Creation of Easements : Land Investing 101

Creation of Easements

Okay, the secret is out.  I am currently studying for my bar exam.  In the process, I must study real property law and other areas of law that pertain to real estate and may be helpful to a real estate or land investor.  I figured since I was studying anyways, I might as well put each topic one video at a time.  I also started a YouTube channel which can be seen here.

4 ways an easement can be created (remember, an easement is a non possessory interest in land):

  1. Expressly by a writing:  This could mean when a property is transferred, an easement is written into the transfer in the deed, land contract or property purchase agreement. 
  2. Implied by prior use: This is when an easement is created by time.  When someone uses a property, for example, to cut through to get to their parcel of land....over time if no one objects or if no one takes action to stop the usage, an easement will be implied by prior use.  Three requirements must be met to have an easement implied by prior use (1) unity of title (2) at severance easement must be apparent, and (3) use must be reasonable. 
  3. Implied by necessity:  This is when an easement is deemed to be a necessity by the courts.  This could happen if a buyer purchased a land locked parcel; then property may have an easement by necessity to get to the property by traveling over another's property.
  4. Prescription:  The same as adverse possession.  This means that the property had to be used adverse to the real owners interest, hostile, open and apparent.  The only difference is that the usage does not have to be exclusive for someone to obtain an easement by prescription.  Thus, if person continues to use a private road (that he does not own) to get home and other people are using the road as well; the person over time may acquire an easement by prescription. 



Follow me on Twitter @NicholasCoriano or follow @homeskape for real estate tips, architecture, tiny homes and land investing advice and feel free to email at Homeskape@gmail.com

Easements Appurtenant & Easements in Gross : Land Investing 101

Easements Appurtenant & Easements in Gross


Easements Appurtenant exists when one parcel benefits from the easement.  The thought process behind the easement appurtenant is that a parcel of land is using an easement to their benefit, but it does not necessarily benefit the party that owns the land that is burdened by the easement.  For example, if a property owner has a path that goes over another's property so that they can access the beach; this is an easement appurtenant because while it benefits the property owner that does not have direct access to the beach, it only benefits them and the property owner with direct access to the beach gains no benefit from the easement.  Thus an easement appurtenant is said to exist when only one party benefits from the easement.  This easement is said to run with the land.  More examples of when an easement appurtenant exists when one parcel benefits from the easement. 

Easement in Gross does not benefit the property but it benefits a person or business.  The most common examples are utility companies such as the electric company having an easement in gross to run wire on the poles on another's property.  Similar, the water company could have an easement in gross to run pipe under your land to your house.  Thus it is said that an easement in gross does not benefit the property but rather a business or person.  Mor examples of an easement in gross can be found in the video below.


Follow me on Twitter @NicholasCoriano or follow @homeskape for real estate tips, architecture, tiny homes and land investing advice and feel free to email at Homeskape@gmail.com