Tag: title insurance
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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…
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Deed Fraud
It’s the future! It’s a bubble! AI is the talk of every town, with just about everyone weighing in. Love it or hate it, artificial intelligence has captivated our attention. It’s jumped to the forefront of corporate priorities in just about every sector of the economy. So, how is AI impacting property deed transactions? One…
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Q&A: Cash Offers and Quitclaim Deeds
Quitclaim deeds are typically used within families, between spouses or ex-spouses, or from individual owners into businesses. A quitclaim is a useful tool to transfer real estate when no payment’s expected. What we rarely talk about is a quitclaim combined with a cash transaction. There may be times, though, when a quitclaim and cash come…
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“Locking” Your Home Title? Read This First.
You might have seen ads urging you to get services that “lock” your title against deed theft. First, is deed theft really a thing? Next, if it is, do “title lock” companies really prevent it? Yes, and no. Let’s break this down, Q&A-style. Then, we’ll offer some important but simple tips to keep tabs on…
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Leaving Your Home for a While? An Arizona Trucker Has a Cautionary Tale
“This is home. It will always be home,” D’Andrea Turner told ABC’s Channel 15. “I raised my babies here.” D’Andrea’s ex, Keith Turner, is a trucker who went out on the road for long stretches at a time. This left the home unattended, as the pair had separated. This year, the two parents learned their…
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Getting Title Insurance at Closing: A Waste of Money? (Q&A for Home Buyers)
Your deed is a valuable document. It puts the title to a home in your hands. And, like most possessions, the title to your real estate can be insured. Does Every Home Have Title Insurance? No. But if you finance a home with a mortgage, the home becomes collateral for a lender. So, you must…
