Articles – Real Estate Deeds Made Easy Since 1997
Some years back, the state of Georgia, under the Georgia Code (GA § 44-2-43), made stealing houses by recording fraudulent or counterfeit real estate deeds a felony, incurring 1-10 years in prison. Witnesses who help perpetrate Georgia deed fraud are subject to the same potential penalties. Georgia is not alone in its resolve. The FBI …
Continue reading “Real Estate Law Enforcement: Catching Up to Deed Fraudsters”
Deed fraud infects cities and counties all over the United States. This kind of fraud involves forging a deed, impersonating someone who holds a title to a home, or falsely authorizing a transfer of real estate ownership. It’s essentially a home-stealing scheme. Now, lawmakers are taking action to make life harder for deed thieves. In …
Well-known schemes are being repackaged for the time of COVID-19. Here’s an overview of how real estate fraudsters are approaching their targets — and how to avoid becoming one. Scams flare up during natural disasters and financial crises, so we can expect a spike in deed fraud in 2020 and beyond. Battered by the pandemic, …
Continue reading “Viral Fraud: More Deed Crime Targets in the Coronavirus Economy”
Quitclaim deeds show up commonly in fraudulent real estate transactions. This type of deed fraud can impact elderly people, buyers purchasing real estate from strangers without warranty, renters who are paying someone who is not a legitimate owner, and anyone involved who might buy, sell, or own property. Here, we examine how it happens and …
Continue reading “The Quitclaim Deed and Fraudulent Real Estate Transactions”
Georgia’s House of Representatives has unanimously passed a bill cracking down on people who steal houses by recording fraudulent real estate deeds. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Tom Kirby and co-sponsored by Rep. Ed Lindsey. House Bill 985 would protect all Georgia homeowners from those who file fake deeds. The bill also makes filing, …
Continue reading “Georgia Bill Making Filing Fraudulent Deeds a Felony”
A quitclaim deed is a simple form that transfers a piece of real estate from one person to another. Any homeowner can fill out a quitclaim deed with their name and the name of the recipient, and the property’s existing legal description, sign it in front of a notary and record the document. That effectively …
Continue reading “Using a Quitclaim Deed: What Are the Drawbacks?”
In Daytona Beach, a suspect has pleaded “not guilty” to organized fraud. The crime involved two homes, stolen by deed fraud, with multiple notaries enlisted as part of the scheme. The Volusia County, Florida suspect faces a first-degree felony charge, punishable by up to 30 years in prison. He is accused of creating fraudulent quitclaim …
Continue reading “Deed Scam Update: Fake Documents Transfer Dead Floridians’ Houses”
Mortgage fraud involves a loan approval based on false statements or omissions. It can also involve getting some other kind of improper advantage from a lender through false statements — such as being allowed to make a reduced loan payoff, or make easier payments. Mortgage applicants can commit fraud. So can home sellers. So can …
Continue reading “Here’s the Lowdown on Mortgage Fraud Today”
A quitclaim deed transfers real estate to a new owner. A properly completed and recorded quitclaim cannot be undone. Here’s why — and what to do next if there’s a problem with the transfer.
Several years back, Rodriques Best got married. The couple bought a home in Greensboro, North Carolina. Then they divorced. Rodriques received the home by quitclaim in the divorce settlement. The couple signed the paperwork with a notary, and submitted it for recording. The notary, hired to help create the new deed with Rodriques as sole …