Real Estate Deeds Made Easy Since 1997
With everything that’s happening in the world, maybe more needs to be said about what the Pennsylvania Senate did in December. Every senator agreed to pass state Rep. Justin Fleming’s H.B. 1289, enabling homeowners to publicly condemn offensive language in deed covenants. The new law 1289 makes it cheap or free, and very simple to …
Continue reading “Facing Up to Discriminatory Deed Language: What Pennsylvania Did”
Getting over the hurdle of property tax payments is harder these days. That’s because taxable home values have gone up. So older Pennsylvanians are praising their governor, Josh Shapiro, for signing Act 7 of 2023 into law. It enlarges Pennsylvania’s Property Tax / Rent Rebate (PTRR). Hundreds of thousands of people — those who own, …
The Harrisburg office of Attorney General Josh Shapiro recently announced a lawsuit against Amanda Zachman, founder of MV Realty, and the company itself. A.G. Shapiro slammed the company for misleading Pennsylvania homeowners with a so-called Homeowner Benefit Program and recording liens on homes without notice. MV Realty charges an upfront payment in return for getting exclusive listing …
Continue reading “Pennsylvania Sues Broker for Recording Sneaky Liens on Homes”
Where Are the Deeds? In a Allegheny County court ruling issued in November 2021, corporate landlords were ordered to deed 285 Pittsburgh-area homes to their renters. The companies are fighting the decision with an appeal. The South Carolina company Vision Property Management boasts of its massive inventory of “affordable lease-to-own property opportunities.” But Vision and other …
Continue reading “Pennsylvania Tells Companies: Hand Over Deeds to 285 Ripped-Off Renters”
For all hopeful buyers, whether or not they have disabilities, getting a mortgage comes down to a rather simple formula. It’s about how much a loan applicant spends, versus the applicant’s stable income. And yes, stable income includes disability benefits such as Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Insurance (SSI). Disability income might …
Continue reading “Buying a Home on Disability: What to Know”
Delaware County (“Delco” to the locals) is home to more than a half-million residents, making it Pennsylvania’s 5th most populated county. It borders the southwest edge of Philadelphia. It’s a little bit country, a little bit urban. It includes scenic Ridley Creek State Park. Several universities stand at least partly within it: Cheyney, Villanova, and …
Continue reading “Deed Records Go Digital: Getting Up to Speed in Delaware County, PA”
For centuries, deeds went through a manual filing process for transmitting, recording, and storing. This is changing, with eRecording emerging as the new standard. Why the shift? The shutdowns in the early days of Covid jolted offices into a different mode of operating. Around the same time, county offices began strongly recommending eRecording. Electronic signatures …
Continue reading “eRecording Is Next-Level Deed Processing. Know What It Is, and Why It’s Legal.”
You or someone you know may be one of the generation of people aged 55+. And you might be thinking about downsizing or moving to a 55+ community. Here, we orient curious readers with the pros and cons, and go over the deed restrictions to understand before and after buying in.
Some interesting findings came out this year: Leaf Home, a company focused on accessibility and upgrades, together with market researchers at Morning Consult, warn of a looming burden for younger generations. Our aging U.S. housing stock will depend on buyers to carry out repairs. The silver lining for these put-upon home buyers? At least fixer-upper …
You joyfully pick up the keys on closing day, and leave the office triumphant, a thick folder from the title company under your arm. The title company played a starring role in your day. At least it did if a mortgage is involved! Cash buyers need not hire experts to run a search on the …
Continue reading “Behind the Scenes of a Home Purchase: What’s Your Title Company Doing?”