Tag: title insurance
-
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…
-
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,…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
“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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff: No Need for Home Buyers to Walk Away Over These Common Issues
Understandably, house hunters look for “issues” as they search for the right homes. They wait with bated breath to scour the reports from inspectors, appraisers, and title reviewers. Any time a mortgage is involved, a lender requires a title search. Through this process, the deed’s history is traced, to check its integrity. The key question?…
-
First Phishing, Now Quishing… ALTA on the New Face of Deed Fraud
The DC-based American Land Title Association (ALTA) wants you to imagine a scenario that, one day soon, you could face. You’re a home buyer. You’ve talked with the lender a few times in the past, and know the company logo and email style. You’re familiar with the loan officer’s voice. The lender has left a…
-
Your Home’s Measurements Differ From the Description. Now What?
Maybe your property is smaller than the way it’s presented in the legal description. Maybe it’s bigger. Maybe you don’t own the home yet, but your agent has noted that the lot size, as described, is off by a few yards, or a certain percentage of an acre. The legal description of the property…
-
Opinion: Who Really Wins? New York’s Deed Fraud Bill Protects Title Insurers, Not Homeowners
New York lawmakers have introduced Senate Bill 7732 as a response to the growing crisis of deed fraud — a real and rising threat to property owners across the country. On the surface, the bill looks like reform. But a closer look reveals what it really is: a convenient liability shield for title insurers.
-
Hey, Back Off! When an Encroaching Neighbor Wants a Piece of Your Property
So, the folks next door did some landscaping. And you’re pretty sure it crossed your property line. Maybe they built a shed over the boundary. Maybe they’re using a part of your land to park equipment, or to drive over. In some cases, the encroachment isn’t obvious. Then the deed holder wants to build a…
-
Ghoulish: Who Steals Deeds From the Dead?
In Houston, stealing deeds from dead people is a thing. Investigators are looking into a deed fraud scheme carried out by three people. These people allegedly laundered deeds of dead homeowners through their limited liability companies. Then they sold the homes to unsuspecting buyers. They’ve pulled in hundreds of thousands of dollars. “This is no…
