Remembering each home would appear easy, but it can quickly become confusing. Which home was near the school? Which one had the great pool? Did it have a family room? How many bathrooms? In the “Something Memorable” category, note something you think is unusual and memorable about each home, such as a stained glass window, fruit trees, a child’s playhouse. This will make it easier for you to recall the property later and refer to a specific address. And, last but not least, maybe the most important question, does this house feel like home? The following home comparison chart is… read more →
THIS FORMULA IS ONLY A GUIDE AND NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS ACTUAL LENDING CALCULATIONS. Contact your loan officer to determine more accurately what price range you should consider. Lenders abide by certain ratios when calculating the loan amount their customers can qualify for and the ratios vary by lender and loan program. Many use 28% of your gross monthly income as the maximum allowed for your mortgage payment (principal/interest/taxes/ insurance or PITI); for your total monthly debt, the ratio is 36%. Total monthly expenses means PITI plus long-term debt (such as auto loans) and revolving/credit-card debt. Do not… read more →
Title insurance protects the insured against covered title defects affecting the insured property. When you buy a home, you expect to enjoy important property rights. For example, you likely expect to be able to occupy the property, to be free from debts or obligations not created or agreed to by you, and to be able to freely sell your property or pledge it as security for a loan. Title insurance is designed to protect these important property rights. Here are seven reasons you should purchase an owner’s policy of title insurance. 1. Buying a home is a big investment. For… read more →
Have you ever considered how much you pay in rent over an extended period of time? It is probably a lot more than you realize. The amount you spend for rent each month could be applied to a mortgage, not only building equity in your own property, but, in most cases, substantially reducing the Federal and State income taxes you pay each year. And, what happens to your rent money? It’s gone! There’s no interest, no equity, no return. To determine your home-buying ability, call your real estate agent or lender. Here’s a chart to help break down how much… read more →
SEND CHANGE OF ADDRESS TO: -Post Office -Bank -Credit card companies -Friends and relatives -Insurance companies — Life, health, fire, auto -Automobile — Transfer of car title registration, driver’s license -Utility companies — Gas, light, water, telephone, cable Arrange for any refunds of deposits Arrange for service in new location -Home delivery — Laundry, newspaper, magazine subscriptions -School records — Ask for copies or transfer children’s school records -Medical records — Medical, dental, prescription histories Ask doctor and dentist for referrals Transfer needed prescriptions, x-rays, etc. -Church, clubs, civic organizations — Transfer memberships and get letters of introduction DON’T FORGET… read more →
Do you feel like you are drowning in alphabet soup? Acronyms have become common-place in the title insurance industry. In fact, acronyms have come so far that there are acronyms of acronyms! One of the newest is TRID, an acronym for TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure Rule. Some acronyms are part of an industry group or association, such as ALTA, NAHB, DOI, or DFR; sometimes an acronym may describe certain standards. There are so many acronyms that it can be confusing and certainly overwhelming. The table below contains some of the industry’s most commonly used acronyms and their meanings.
What is a title examination and why is it important? An attorney may perform the search of the public records and examine the records themself and then issue the title opinion to the client. More often than not, the attorney does not search the public records but employs a professional abstractor, who prepares an abstract of title. An abstract of title is a concise summary of the documents and instruments of record which affect the title to a specific piece of land. An abstract should disclose the full effect of every instrument which constitutes part of the owner’s title and should… read more →
In order to truly understand the benefits and limitations of title insurance, an understanding of what “title” is, is necessary. For an even more concise understanding of title insurance, please visit our FAQ page. The types of real rights, that is, interests in immovable property, that Louisiana law recognizes are ownership, personal servitudes, predial servitudes, and such other real rights as permitted by law. Ownership is the real right that purchasers of residential real estate are most concerned, and thus, this part will be dedicated to that land interest. So, two questions need addressing: 1) How is ownership defined in Louisiana?, and… read more →
Title insurance is substantially different than other types of insurance coverage, which can often lead to a misunderstanding of the product. Title insurance emphasizes risk prevention rather than risk assumption. This emphasis on risk prevention is labor intensive and expensive, but the coverage offers the best possible opportunity for avoiding claims and losses in real estate transactions. Title insurance can be defined as the insurance of owners of the property or others having an interest therein, against loss by encumbrances, or defective titles, or adverse claims to title, and services in connection therewith. Title insurance is written either for the protection of the potential… read more →
It’s that time of the year again when the late summer heat commonly indexes in the triple digits. While the humid subtropical climate here at home is hot, the tropics at this time of year define the word. Like clockwork, Earth does what it does best, equalizes. The sweltering heat between the northern and southern 23rd and 1/2 parallels is disbursed to the northern and southern reaches of the globe, in an incredibly efficient yet incredibly powerful way: HURRICANES! Likely, very few people reading this are unaware of the imminent danger that can abruptly appear off our southern coast. When it does, pandemonium… read more →
Recent Comments