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

The Initial Real Estate Loan Inquiry

A Primer in Alternative Reasons

Ask The Right Questions:

From A Borrower in a Private Money Loan Transaction

Court Narrows Broker Fiduciary Duties in Malibu Home Dispute- Quick Read

In Larry Wade v. Windstar Investments, LLC, the Los Angeles County Superior Court clarified the limits of a real estate broker’s fiduciary and disclosure obligations. Wade purchased a $3.4 million Malibu property that later proved uninhabitable due to unpermitted construction. He sued the seller and Sotheby’s International Realty, alleging negligence and breach of fiduciary duty for failing to disclose the defects.

Private Money | Hard Money | Loan Originations | Quick Read

Real property borrowers can access alternative sources of financing to banks and other institutional lenders. The subset, private money lending, is designed for non-bankable or non-traditional loan transactions.

Private Money | Hard Money Overview | Quick Read

A Vital Subset of the Real Estate Lending Industry

Trust Deed and Mortgage Investors-Quick Read

As investors/lenders or private parties who purchase an interest in notes and deeds of trust, you hold a pivotal position in the lending process. The investor’s name appears on the Borrower’s promissory note, deed of trust, and title insurance policy, indicating the ownership interest. You are a lender, a payee, or a beneficiary.

SB-748: Safe Parking Sites and Local Responsibility for the Unhoused

California Senate Bill 748 (SB-748), signed into Law in September 2025, marks a significant expansion of the state’s approach to homelessness—specifically addressing the needs of individuals living in vehicles. The bill modifies the existing Encampment Resolution Funding (ERF) program to include support for safe parking sites, offering local jurisdictions new tools to manage and assist vehicle-based homelessness.

Top Mortgage Risks: Empowering Knowledge for Every Borrower and Lender.

The mortgage industry, a vital pillar of the housing market, is not immune to significant risks.  Both lenders and borrowers face challenges that, if not managed effectively, can lead to severe financial strain.  Below, we present the top mortgage risks, ranked by their potential Impact, along with real-world examples, to raise awareness and caution.

AB-628: Working Refrigerators and Stoves Become Mandatory in Most Rental Homes (Effective 1 January 2026)- Technical Read

AB-628: Mandatory Refrigerators and Stoves in Rental Units Starting 2026- Quick Read

How to Locate, Vet, and Negotiate with Private Money Lenders: The Key to Secure and Confident Real Estate Financing, Packed with Valuable Insights

(A Borrower’s Handbook)

AB-326: California Balcony/Exterior Elevated Elements (EEEs) Inspection and Repair, Compliance

SB 326 vs. SB 721-What Property Owners/HOAs Must Do

SB-808: Accelerating Judicial Review for Housing Development Disputes- Technical Read

California SB-770: Removing Barriers to EV Charging in Common Interest Development- Quick Read

California SB-748: Technical Framework for Safe Parking and Encampment Resolution- Technical Read

California SB-748: Expanding Safe Parking and Accountability in Homelessness Program- Quick Read

SB-655: Setting a Safe Indoor Temperature Standard for Homes-Quick Read

Real Property Development: A Dramatic Shift in the Procedure

California is on a mission to install millions of high-density stack-and-pack apartment dwellings and affordable housing units to conform to the vision outlined by former President Obama, as outlined in the Affordable Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) initiative. Stack up to the heavens, and they will come.

SB-634: Protecting Humanitarian Aid and Support Services for Unhoused Californians- Quick Read

SB 543: Streamlining ADU and JADU Development Across California- Quick Read