US Supreme Court Rules on Marriage Equality June 26, 2015

Where were you the day the US Supreme

Court ruled that same sex couples have the right to marry under the law in all 50 states? It was a work day for me, your gay real estate agent and having a TV in my office I was watching Wendy Williams when the president interrupted the broadcast to announce that SCOTUS had ruled in favor of marriage equality.

It is a wonderful day for all people of America who supported the fight to allow couples who have been together for decades to marry. Being a Realtor(R) I have a deep rooted belief that all people deserve to own a home if they so choose and now many gay couples who already own homes together have legal protection under marriage. I'm happy for the gay youth in America who will be able to marry whomever they love and live their lives as a legally married couple.

My partner and I are genuinely happy for everyone who is planning on getting married in the near future and to all this who have had to wait decades for this day to come....your fight is over. 

Are Gay Couples Feeling Pressure to Get Married?

Marriage equality was passed in Florida this

January which is a great move forward for not only the Florida LGBT community but the state of Florida as well.  My partner and I not only watched the marriage equality fight, but we joined the fight and supported the movement as much as we could.  Like many gay couples, we were very happy with the recognition that we were not given the same rights as others and having the right to marry in Florida was a huge missing piece to to our citizenship puzzle.  We know there is much more work to do in other states and we have further to go until every US citizen has the right to marry but I am seeing this new pressure for gay couples to get married. 

Let's face it. There are a lot of straight couples who have children together and never get married.  There are others who don't have kids and never get married.  Your gay friends are no different.  Marriage is something to be entered into after serious consideration.  My partner and I always say that we will only get married once and therefore our weeding is taking some serious planning.  More than a few of my friends are experiencing the pressure to get married. "When are you getting married?" is a question I was asked a lot right after Florida's decision to allow gay marriages.  Pressuring gay couples to get married may result in them making a decisions in haste that may not be the best decision for their future.

Don't get me wrong, I love that our family and 

friends are supporting us and want to be included in our wedding. Marriage is a serious thing and should never be taken lightly and lets face it, the location and reception takes a lot of wedding planning and decision making.  I'm sure there are many gay couples who don't want to get married and will not get married and that is just fine.  Keep in mind that although gay couples have the right to marry in Florida, not every gay couple will get married.  I was told "you fought so hard for the right to marry, what's taking so long to do it?".  Hey, thanks for the guilt but having the right to marry does not mean we are required to get married and I don't think any gay couple should rush into marriage.  

If you are a gay couple or know of a gay

couple or person looking to sell or buy a home in the New Port Richey, Port Richey or Trinity Florida area, contact me so I can help.  I am your local gay real state agent in western Pasco county Florida and I will work diligently for you to help you reach your goals.

  

Title Options for Gay Married Couples in Florida - Tenants by Entireties

I would like to congratulate you if you have

recently become a legally recognized gay married couple in Florida and I know you have a lot to do both before and after your wedding, but I wanted to talk a little bit about the title of your home together. Whether you already own a home as a couple or you are going to buy a home as a couple, you will want to consider a couple of things before moving forward. Things like how will we take title on our home and who is the right gay real estate agent to help us.

I am going to start with any couple that was not living together prior to getting married. Now that you are married, you most likely will begin discussing buying a home together as a married couple.  You will want to consult your attorney before making any title decisions but most people will want to take title as "Tenants by Entireties". This form of land ownership in Florida is only used with a married couple.  The Tenants by Entireties will provide that when one spouse passes, the ownership will transfer directly to the surviving spouse without the need for probate.  The Tenants by Entireties ownership also protects the homestead from creditors of one spouse affecting the other. Please consult your attorney if you have any specific questions about Tenants by Entireties if you are a gay married couple.

Those of us who owned our home before getting

married to our longtime companions, most of us took title as "Joint Tenants with Full Survivorship Rights" since that was the best we had before having the right to marry as gay people.  You may want to consider having your home re-titled "Tenants by Entireties" as a gay married couple to further protect you and your spouse in the future.  If you are not sure if changing your title is the right choice for you and your partner I urge you to consult your attorney before making any major decisions regarding your marriage and the title to your home together.

Please contact me if you or someone you know is in need of a gay real estate agent in Western Pasco county Florida.  I am your local gay real estate professional in New Port Richey, Trinity, Port Richey and Hudson Florida. 

 

The content of this article is not meant to be legal advice, please consult your attorney or local title agency for answers to your specific questions.

written by Michael J. Gallotitle