Real Estate Deeds Made Easy Since 1997
We all need to know if anything could compromise our ownership of property we buy. We rely on title companies to affirm that the seller has the rights to sell. To affirm this, the title company in turn relies on a legal expert’s opinion of the integrity of the deed — an opinion of title. …
Continue reading “An Opinion of Title: What Home Buyers Should Know”
Whether you plan to co-own property with a United States citizen or a non-U.S. citizen, the rules of the game aren’t too different. Noncitizens can inherit property. They may be named as beneficiaries on financial and insurance accounts, just as citizens may. And whether you own jointly with citizen or resident, you’ll each qualify for …
Continue reading “Co-Owning Property With a Non-U.S. Citizen? Keep These Points in Mind”
As a general rule, real estate values have risen through the decades. Today, a force is challenging that rule, and we all need to know about it before heading for the closing table. It involves the risk of weather damage and disasters. Emergencies are affecting more real estate as the years go on. Whether …
Continue reading “Natural (and Other) Disasters: How Emergencies Impact Titles & Mortgages”
Home buying is a wealth-building strategy, as well as a way to own a living space. As a homeowner pays off the mortgage over the years, the home becomes a store of value. That equity can be useful for making renovations or pursuing new business investments. A home equity line of credit, abbreviated as HELOC, …
Continue reading “HELOC: How Home Equity Lines of Credit Impact a Home’s Title”
When you tour a home, a big question is whether “what you see is what you get.” Appraisers, home inspection professionals, and title companies help offer the answers. Through the title search, ownership of the land in traced back in time, showing current legal ownership, easements, and any notable issues. Until the moment the …
Continue reading “7 Common Title Problems in Real Estate Deals”
Are generations different in their approach to buying real estate? The fundamentals of buying real estate arguably haven’t changed, but financial and technological trends have. And with more people seeking houses than houses to be found, home prices have taken an upward path. Despite low mortgage rates, all first-time home buyers face a challenging market.
Much is said on the role of title insurance in protecting protect the buyer from unknown liens, easement holders, or a prior owners’ heirs who claim an interest in the buyer’s new home. Title insurance covers the policy holder against loss related to these various defects in title. Other examples of title defects include undisclosed restrictive covenants on the property, …
You own real estate. If you’re asked, how do you show proof of your ownership? Essentially, the proof is in your property’s title history. This means: Your ownership interest is only as good as the interest conveyed to you by the last owner; and Others could have dibs on your property, if you used it …
An easement is a right to use another’s land for a specific purpose not inconsistent with the landowner’s simultaneous right to hold the same property. The word is derived from the Old French term aisier: to assist. This legal right to use land that is not one’s own can be acquired in several ways: By grant (owner permission). By …
Continue reading “The Real Estate Easement: A Guide and Glossary”
Trusts and limited liability companies, or LLCs, can hold real estate for tax advantages or avoidance of the probate process. Some homeowners work in high-risk careers or own their businesses, and wish to keep the home from becoming vulnerable to lawsuits. Here, we briefly summarize key options.