SirkinLaw APC

Specialties

Only tenancy in common (TIC), condominium conversion, CC&R amendment/​replacement, vacation home fractional ownership, family/​friend co-​ownership, equity sharing, investment partnerships, crowdfunding, and no-​Realtor sales. We have completed more SF condo conversion than any other firm by far, and continue to attract more condo clients than our competitors each year. We have specialized in shared ownership for 30 years, and have assisted in more than 6,000 shared property arrangements throughout the US and the world. Our narrow practice area and long experience allow us to work on a flat-​fee basis and to keep costs low.

History

Established in 1985.

In 1985, Andy Sirkin was frustrated because he could not afford to buy a home in San Francisco for his family. After some false starts, he bought a 5-​plex with a group of friends and acquaintances. Other friends and business associates asked Andy to help them do the same thing, and within a year his law practice was devoted exclusively to TIC formations. Although a few owner-​occupancy TICs existed before 1985, they had been formed as partnerships and used partnership-​style organizational structures. Andy was the first to use a condo-​like structure for TIC co-​ownership, and the TIC movement began almost immediately with massive television and print publicity in 1986 – 1988. By 2007, the Sirkin-​style TIC accounted for more than ¹⁄₃ of all attached home sales in San Francisco. Andy also convinced the first lenders to offer individual TIC loans, and created the document set which made this possible. Recently, Andy released «new generation» TIC Agreements.

Meet the Business Owner

Andy S.

Business Owner

Andy has been a TIC owner since 1985, and continues to own and live in a TIC. In addition to advising clients, Andy has personally developed more than 30 real estate projects, and managed a successful real estate brokerage. He is an accredited instructor with the California Department of Real Estate, and frequently conduct fractional ownership workshops for buyers, sellers, developers, and real estate agents. He is a vocal advocate for creation of affordable home ownership opportunities, has made numerous appearances on San Francisco Bay Area television and radio, and addressed the Commonwealth Club of California. Andy is the co-​author of The Condominium Bluebook, published annually by Piedmont Press, and The Equity Sharing Manual, first published by John Wiley and Sons in November 1994.