Blog
The 8 Most Common Title Insurance Claims
When it comes to purchasing a property, the hope is always that the transfer of ownership will go smoothly, and stay that way for as long as the new owner decides to keep the property. However, there have certainly been instances where homeowners have been thankful that...
What Does Your Fort Myers Title Company Do?
A title company has a multitude of roles to fulfill in a Florida real estate transaction, acting as the shared agent of the buyer, seller, mortgage lender, and any other party involved in the transaction. The closing process is the responsibility of the title company fr...
Understanding Your Loan: Cash And Transaction Summaries
When you look at the closing disclosure for your mortgage loan, page 3 will compare cash requirements from your loan estimate to your actual final charges. If the answer to the question “Did this change?” is “YE...
Is This Home’s Location Right for Me?
The phrase “location, location, location” is one that’s been etched into the psyche of many a homebuyer, and with good reason. But location isn’t just about having a scenic view—there are other things to take into consideration before you put in an offer. Afte...
Property Taxes in Florida
Property taxes—all homeowners have to pay them, but do we truly understand how they are calculated and assessed?
In the state of Florida, property taxes are administered by local governments, which means how the taxes are handled can vary from county to county. Pro...
How Can I Determine My Housing Needs?
Your home should fit the way you live, with spaces and features that appeal to the whole family. After all, it's where you're going to be hanging your hat for a long time to come, so you want to make sure it has all the housing needs a...
Is It Okay To Alter the Photos On My Listing?
Altered photos—they’re everywhere. Image editing software like Photoshop has made it easy to alter pictures, profiles, memes…you name it. But where do we draw the line when it comes to altering real estate photos for a listing?
The purpose of listing photos is ...
Can I Secretly Record Home Buyers In My House?
In this day and age, recording activity both inside and outside our homes has become almost standard practice. But what about when the time comes to sell your home? Many home sellers are encouraged to leave the premises so they aren’t underfoot during showings by thei...
How Long Do Lenders Keep Loan Records?
How long a lender keeps certain records depends on each individual record itself. For example, creditors must retain escrow cancellation and partial payment policy disclosures for two years, loan estimate records for three years after loa...
How Lenders Decide Your Maximum Loan Amount
When deciding the maximum loan amount that a buyer can afford, lenders will consider your debt-to-income ratio, which is a comparison of your gross (pre-tax) income to housing and non-housing expenses.
Non-housing expenses include such long-term debts as car or s...