With whole cable TV channels dedicated to the theme of Real Estate Investment, it is not surprising that the ranks of investors are growing crowded in many markets. There are still great deals to be had, but finding them, being the first to get a good written contract with the owner, and not “giving away…
The CFPB is one of those federal entities that is truly known by it’s initials. Even more so than FBI or CIA, you have to think for a minute to remember what it stands for. . . . ? Consumer . . . .??? Now to make things more difficult, the head of the CFPB…
While our beloved Commonwealth of Virginia prides itself on keeping up with the Joneses in all matters of E-Commerce, we have taken more of a “wait and see” attitude toward the most electronic of closing technologies. Naturally, big states with fewer Notary Publics per square mile would need to take the lead on electronic notarizations. …
By now you have probably heard that Equifax was hacked by cyber criminals several months ago. They were kind enough to alert the public that the event happened nearly a month after they discovered the breach. Over 148,000,000 people are likely affected. As if having your personal information, including SSN, DOB, addresses and credit card…
Would that life were so simple that one DEED would fit all such transactions!!!! But if no one has told you today, please be assured that drafting a correct and appropriate deed to pass down real estate titles between generations is anything but simple! It is certainly not a job for a person not licensed…
This week I had a client ask me if I’d had much experience with internet lenders. A visit to a website, an email exchange, and a voice on the phone and my client had a quote on his interest rate that fell into the category of “too good to be true”. “Can I trust…
For the past several quarters, many of our closings for home buyers in the starter home or first move-up category have revealed a loss of FHA market share. It seems that the traditional market for FHA appeal was the 1st or 2nd home market with buyers lacking a substantial down payment. FHA loans can allow…
As 2016 comes to a close and I reflect on the reasons for various real estate transactions going into an adversarial mode, a couple of trends stand out: Real Estate Closings, despite centuries of experience and practice, can be complex monsters. . . and Dodd Frank and all previous attempts at consumer protection consistently…
The ever entertaining and thought provoking NREP (National Real Estate Post), formerly known as TBWS (Think Big Work Small) challenges our national leadership and loan regulators to promote home ownership by easing qualification regulations. /Shocking Zillow Renter Report The NREP blog also points out that the 50 year low in the home ownership index may…
For most divorces, a driving objective is closure. One or both of the parties has generally reached the state of being “over it”. Child custody, division of assets, and support issues are challenging. But there is another issue which can rain frustration on a divorce like a monsoon, and that is the disposition of real…
