Blog
Inspection and Appraisal: What’s the Difference?
You’ve skimmed every online checklist. You’ve listened to every piece of advice your relatives have felt inclined to give you. You’ve nearly done it all and yet you’re still confused about certain components of your real estate experience. For instance, what is ...
How To File Bankruptcy
United States law allows courts to declare individuals and businesses bankrupt, allowing them to settle debts without full payment. Filing bankruptcy is a legal action asking the court to make this declaration; deciding to file should account for:
Debts...
Net Sheet Calculators: Calculate Closing Costs With Ease
Seller’s net sheets and buyer’s cost sheets are helpful tools that allow buyers and sellers to see and understand the costs of closing. Net sheets are customizable documents that calculate costs and create an itemized list of the fees associated with buying or selli...
Do I Need Title Insurance On A Newly Built Home?
Construction of a new home can raise special title problems for the lender and even the owner. You may think you are the first owner when building your home on a purchased lot, but there were most likely many prior owners of the unimproved land.
To know for ce...
Homeowner’s Associations: How They Work
Homeowner’s Associations (HOA) were first developed in the 1980s as a means to help retain order and visual appeal in new communities that were being developed. To this day, HOA rules and regulations determine things like the color you can paint the home's exterior, r...
Understanding Wills and Trusts
A will is a written document that defines how your assets will be distributed after you die. Trusts are legal arrangements that involve a separate legal entity to hold and distribute assets -- during your life, after your life, or both. As an alternative to wills, t...
Florida Homestead Exemption for Permanent Residents
If you have a property in Florida that serves as your permanent residence (sorry winter residents!), then you may be eligible for a homestead exemption that keeps you from having to pay tax on a certain portion of your property’s assessed value. If your home is worth ...
What You Need To Know About Earnest Money
In most real estate transactions the seller will require that the buyer deposit earnest money. This money demonstrates good faith by the buyer to purchase the property from the seller, although most have no idea what role the earnest money plays in the transaction. The ...
Eviction Rights and Rules
The conditions and steps involved in a landlord forcing a tenant to leave a rented property - eviction - are defined by state and local laws. As both landlord and tenants have legal rights, eviction requires methodical and documented steps.
Unpaid rent w...
How A Notary Helps Prevent Fraudulent Transactions
A notary public plays an important role in many transactions. Often acting as a witness to the signing of important, life-changing documents, notaries offer a level of protection against fraud that is invaluable.
The Fraud-Deterrent Services Of A Notary...