Have you ever wondered why you need title insurance? Your home may be new to you, but every property has a history. A thorough title search can help uncover any title defects tied to your property. And, subject to the terms of the policy, your title insurance provides protection for you from title problems that may become known after you close your transaction. Some of these common title issues are: Errors in public records: To err is human, but when it affects your home ownership rights, those mistakes can be devastating. Clerical or filing errors could affect the deed or… read more →
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 →
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 →
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.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for consumer protection in the financial sector. Its jurisdiction includes banks, credit unions, securities firms, payday lenders, mortgage-servicing operations, foreclosure relief services, debt collectors and other financial companies operating in the United States. The Great Recession of ‘07-‘08, the catalyst of which was the meltdown in the secondary mortgage market, proved a difficult time for many Americans. As residential home values depreciated rapidly over the coming years while the market for employment concurrently contracted, many homeowners defaulted on their upside down mortgages. The resulting… read more →
In order to truly understand the benefits and limitations of title insurance we’re breaking it down for you in a four-part series. Last week was Part 3: What is a “title examination” and why is it important? The final topic to cover is Part 4: Title Insurance Basics. Part 4: Title insurance Basics 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… read more →
In order to truly understand the benefits and limitations of title insurance we’re breaking it down for you in a four-part series. Last week was Part 2: What is the “public records doctrine” and why does it matter? The remaining topics to cover are: Part 3: What is a “title examination” and why is it important? Part 4: Title insurance basics Part 3: What is a “title examination” and why is it important? An attorney may perform the search of the public records and examine the records himself and then issue the title opinion to the client. More often than… read more →
In order to truly understand the benefits and limitations of title insurance we’re breaking it down for you in a four-part series. Last week was Part 1: What is title? The remaining topics to cover are: Part 2: What is the “public records doctrine” and why does it matter? Part 3: What is a “title examination” and why is it important? Part 4: Title insurance basics Part 2: What is the “public records” doctrine, and why does it matter? As briefly touched on in Part 1, not only must ownership transfers of immovables be recorded in the public records, in… read more →
In order to truly understand the benefits and limitations of title insurance we’re breaking it down for you. This article is the first part of a four-part series. We will cover the following topics with you over the next four weeks: Part 1: What is title? Part 2: What is the “public records doctrine” and why does it matter? Part 3: What is a “title examination” and why is it important? Part 4: Title insurance basics Part 1: What is “title”? The types of real rights, that is, interests in immovable property, that Louisiana law recognizes are ownership, personal servitudes, predial… read more →
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