Dan J. Harkey

Master Educator | Business & Finance Consultant | Mentor

Real Estate-Technical

Technical Real Estate Insight on the Issues that Move Value—Legally, Operationally, and Financially

Legal issues, valuation realities, operational pitfalls, and market shifts—explained in plain English.

Real estate isn’t just “location, location, location.” It’s contracts, compliance, conditions, valuation, and the little details that turn good deals into expensive lessons. My articles cover technical and legal issues, ownership and operations across residential and commercial property, and the market trends reshaping what works (and what doesn’t). If it affects risk, value, or performance, it belongs here.

Most deals don’t fail on the headline numbers—they fail in the details: condition, documentation, liability, tenant/legal exposure, and assumptions that don’t survive due diligence. I write about real estate the way it behaves, benefits, detriments, valuation methods, and the shifting landscape that changes your risk overnight.

Search Results

Real Estate (Private Money) Loan Documents and Related Disclosures

Real Estate Practitioners Should Obtain A Comprehensive Understanding Of The Loan Documentation To Carry Out Their Fiduciary Responsibilities To The Principals.

Accidentally Building A Portion Of Your Structure On Their Property

On A Neighbor's Property That You Don’t Own

Deed of Trusts and Mortgage Investments In California

Overview Of The Licensing and Regulatory Scheme

Procedures for Procuring Loans To Earn Fees

Best Practices

A Successful Real Estate Career Is Both A Science Of Technical Methodologies And An Art Of Effective Techniques

Strategies for Successful Closing More Loans

The Soon-To-Be Ex-Husband Found Rejection And Isolation

When He Tried To “F” Over His Soon-To-Be Ex-Wife

Successor Co-Trustees of a Family Trust: They Dispise Each Other

Personal Agendas Get In The Way Of Making Rational Decisions When One Party Wants To Use Mom And Dad's Assets For Personal Gain

Cross-collateralization: Encumbering Multiple Properties

and Cross-Default Provisions

Modifying Collateral Lien Positions By Mutual Written Agreement Between Principal Parties

Subordinations and Inter-Creditor Agreements

Grandson Tries To Exploit Granny: Personal Gain Is His Objective

Financial Elder Abuse in America is at Crisis Proportions.

100s of New Bills Affecting Real Estate each Year in California

It would be virtually Impossible to read and comprehend in a State That Wants To control every Move When They Can Identify Assets.

Understanding The Concept Of Contributory Value of Adding Additional Land

The First Parcel Of Land Has An Appraised Value: The Second Parcel May Add Tremendous Value

The Borrower Pushes Back On Paying For Adequate Property Insurance

Fools rush in where wise men never tread

Loaning On Land Parcels Containing Manufactured Homes

A Cautionary Tale: Real Property vs Personal Property

How Do You Get In And Out Of This Property?

There Are No Land Easements for Entry and Exit

You Can’t Take Your Loan To The Bank As Easy As You Think

Unless You Are Willing To Jumping Through The Hoops To Get A Loan

A Real Property Borrower Operates With No Skin in the Game

Maximum Leverage Can Be Beneficial or Can Be Used to Can Be Used to Transfer the Risk to the Lender

Construction Completion Loans Are A Good Business Strategy

“As-is” and “As-completed” Appraisals Are Required As Part Of The Underwriting

Lending On Owner-Occupied Commercial Buildings

Underwriting a loan comes with a few special issues to deal with

Non-Conforming Strip Retail Centers Can Be Prudent Investments

Private Money Lenders Save the Day