Real Estate Deeds Made Easy Since 1997 – Deeds.com
-
Reverse mortgages are designed for senior homeowners. They’re advertised as a super power available to longtime deed holders. The idea? When you’re low on cash, tap into your many years of equity-building. Draw financial strength from your property’s value. Sounds good,…
-
Between Signing My Purchase Agreement and Closing: What’s Going On?
What goes on between the day you find your seller and the day the seller hands you the keys? If you’re new to home buying, you’ll be curious about each step. And if you haven’t closed on a home in…
-
Life Estate Deed or Living Trust: Which Path Is Right for Your Home?
It’s never too soon to plan out the transfer of your deed after you pass. One way to do it? The tried-and-true method of writing your last will and testament and including your home in it. You have other choices,…
-
When Lien Holders Demand Repayment: Who Has the Most to Gain by Foreclosing?
If you own a home, you can use it as collateral and borrow money. The lenders may then place liens on your title, representing that money you have to repay. The classic example involves taking out a mortgage against the…
-
The Fine Was Unfair. Can the Association Put a Lien on My Condo and Drive Me Out?
Got HOA questions? You’re not alone. Nearly one in three deed holders today live with a homeowners’ association (HOA). Most new houses, along with traditional condo properties, are developed for associations. HOAs have authority to fine those who defy their…
-
Do the Co-Owners Have Survivorship Rights? How to Change a Deed From the State’s Default
At some point, a couple might decide to change the way they vest a deed, to add rights of survivorship. It’s a commonly made decision. Say a couple has been together for some time and each wants to be sure…
-
Is the Backyard Cottage Written Into the Deed, or Recorded Separately?
You might be familiar with guest houses or garden suites. You might have seen detached garages turned into cottages, or finished basements converted into rental space. Town managers call these extra living spaces ADUs: accessory dwelling units. A house deed…
-
Ready to Close—But the Home Isn’t Empty
You’re ready to close on your new home. There’s just one issue. On what you thought was your final walk-through, the home still has an occupant. Or, surprise! It’s still cluttered with the seller’s rugs and lamps. Let’s talk about…
-
Political Signs: A Deed Holder’s Guide to Laws and Limits
Is there a First Amendment right to display political signs of any kind, size, or position on the sign poster’s own property? At first, the answer might seem to be a flat-out yes. The Constitutional commitment to free speech prevents…
-
Will an Easement Need a Separate Recording When Someone Wants to Sell or Buy?
An easement gives someone the right to enter, use, or travel through a deed holder’s land for a specified reason — without impacting the deed holder’s ownership of that same land. In this Q&A column, we take a look at…
-
Skipped Probate? “Muniment of Title” Might Restore the Deed
Sometimes, when people’s rights to a deed collide, muniment of title can restore the deed to one of them. And sometimes, this process is used on purpose, to streamline probate. Let’s take a look at this strange phrase that can…
-
How Do I Get a Deed for a Home I Build?
Great question! We generally talk about “getting a deed to a home.” But the accurate phrase would be “getting the deed to the land.” The actual, built home does not have a deed. Let’s go a bit deeper. What do…
-
Trees Don’t Respect Property Lines. Who’s Liable for Accidents or Hazards?
Trees are beautiful. They cool our Earth, buffer noise, and drink up stormwater. They offer habitat to birds, and so much more. Trees can make beautiful, natural borders between properties. But, from time to time, they do play a role…
-
Schedule E: What People Who Rent Out Properties Need to Know
Are you earning extra income from rentals — even a room in your home? Many people have the opportunity today to earn extra income from renting out space for others to live in. Whether you’re renting out just a room…
-
Borrowing Against Your Title to Ward Off Deed Theft: A Smart Idea?
Some deed holders deliberately get a lien recorded on their properties to make it harder for anyone to commit deed theft and take their homes. Is there anything to this? First, it’s music to our ears when homeowners ask how…
