Tag: title insurance
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Ready to Buy? A Title Search Belongs on Your Checklist
A title search is one of the key steps in protecting your ownership interest when you buy a home. It reviews the property’s recorded history to uncover issues that could affect the deed, the seller’s right to transfer the property, or your ability to sell the home later. In a typical purchase, the title search…
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The Easement on the Title: Can We Be 100% Sure It Still Exists?
An easement grants the right to use someone else’s property for a specified reason. You probably know this. But do you know the difference between a recorded easement deed, and the actual way an easement is used? Just because an easement deed is recorded, you might assume it still legally exists. And you’d likely be…
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Stonewalled: Insurance Denied for Massachusetts Homeowners’ Boundary Land
The Massachusetts courts recently said something deed holders should know. The case could impact other states in addition to Massachusetts, depending on how their laws appear on the books. Last month, the Massachusetts Appeals Court ruled that Old Republic Title Insurance Company could legally deny coverage for land the policy holders owned if the land…
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Investors: Know When a Cheap Home Is a Money Trap
In the midwestern states, purchasing a home for under $100K is entirely possible. Some people do it as an investment. In a big-picture way, it can be a smart thing to do. A deed means land, and land has scarcity value. Meanwhile, a home can also produce an income stream. That said, for every prince…
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The Best Laws Against Deed Theft: How Does Your State Rank?
For those concerned about where deed theft is taken most seriously under the laws, the data security firm EquityProtect has the facts. The company’s new Property Protection Scorecard sums up the current status of each of the 50 states and Washington, DC. The equityprotect.com/scorecard webpage ranks states using five tiers. Tier 1 shows the…
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Getting Title Insurance? Don’t Assume a Property’s Physical Conditions Are Covered
A few months back, an interesting case came out on Georgia title insurance law. It clarified the allowable claims against title insurance. People buy title insurance on closing day to guard themselves against unknown title problems affecting a property’s market value. That is, a title policy exists to protect a deed holder’s marketability of…
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Which Is Better: Warranty of Title, or Title Insurance?
Great question! First, a warranty of title is stated in a warranty deed. And most any buyer in a regular home sale gets a warranty deed. So your question could also be posed as: “I’m getting a warranty deed. Do I still need an owner’s title insurance policy?” Let’s break this down.
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Undesirable Home Features: What’s Not on the Deed Can Hurt You
Looking for an affordable home? There are affordable U.S. cities. Keep your eyes open, though. Some of the homes may need a thorough look before closing. Affordability attracts hopeful deed seekers. But these potential buyers must be alert to systems that need costly repairs and upgrades. Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies says an…
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Home Buyers Need Title Companies. Agents Shouldn’t Be Getting Paid to Select Them.
In a recently settled case, Maryland sued one of its title companies. The claim? That the company, together with a few affiliates, made kickbacks to agents. It’s a sad story of greed. It also offers some insights for our readers, and gives us a reason to talk about insuring our home titles—a precaution that should…
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Lien Release: Getting Ready for Your Final Mortgage Payoff (Woohoo!)
Are you closing in on the day you finish paying off the entire mortgage? Or just wondering what that finish line looks like? What steps do you need to take to get that lien off, and own the home free of debt? Let’s take a look.
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Sell a Home You Don’t Own? Here’s How They Do It in Scottsdale
Here’s a true story about seller impersonation that landed in the news during the first week of 2026. The story starts with an owner of a home in Arizona getting an alert from the local deed recorder’s office of Maricopa County. Uh oh. The recorder’s office was notifying the deed holder that the title to…
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Stolen Home Recorded as Sold for $10. How Will Texas Respond?
A family home was stolen in a fraudulent sale, for just $10, with a forged deed. Now, an heir is fighting in court to recover the property. Shannon P., the heir who’s fighting, views her lawsuit as a public service announcement as well as a struggle to recover generational wealth. “If you’re not checking on…
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Game-Changer for Deed Transactions: Biometric Identity Checks
Fidelity National Financial (FNF®), the leading U.S. title insurance and settlement services company, will now integrate a biometric security system. FNF is partnering with CLEAR (Clearme.com), the airport security group. The goal? To protect home buyers, sellers, and agents from impersonation, malicious messages, and wire fraud. A safe deed is a wonderful thing. Then again,…
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Pennsylvania Gets Ready to Pass Deed Fraud Law—And Philly Says No More Deed Theft From the Dead
Deed theft is the deliberate and wrongful transfer of real estate. It’s not particularly common across the country. But in areas where property values have shot up, it’s a growing trend. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is one area of concern. Last year, Philly tallied up 110 reports of deed fraud. We promised to keep you posted on…
