Category: Real Estate
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The Neighbors’ Agreement: Consenting to New Property Lines
Can neighbors agree to a more useful border line between their properties, despite what’s on their deeds? As a matter of fact, your state law could say the property lines you and your neighbor treat as real can actually become the legal boundary between the properties. This can help two parties when they consent or…
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Am I the Nuisance, or Is My Neighbor? What the Law Says
The law of nuisance came from Merry Olde England, and it crops up in property cases to this day. Sometimes, a nuisance is both private and public. Consider a body shop that emits fumes or dumps oil — impacting specific residences, and creating a public hazard at the same time. Or perhaps it feels more…
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Biggest Deed Slip-Ups (and How Not to Make Them)
Mistakes happen. When they happen to a deed, they can go unnoticed for a long time — sometimes leaving a clouded title through a chain of owners. But at some point, a deed mistake catches up to an owner, buyer, or heir. So, let’s take a look at 8 common homeowner deed mistakes, and how…
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What Just Happened? Today’s Typical Buyer Aged More Than Six Years Since Last Year!
Congrats to all of you who, in middle life, are acquiring a deed to a home. It’s a major achievement. Chances are, you worked intensely to pull it off. And you’re not alone. A new publication from the National Association of REALTORS® says the average buyer out there is now 56 years old. That’s up…
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Should Brokers Keep For-Sale Homes Hidden?
It’s the Real Estate Industry’s Latest Debate — Pocket Listings Our regular readers know about recent changes in real estate practices. The big changes came out of settlements by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) and large brokerage firms in response to class-action court cases. NAR had to give up its long-running practice of having…
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Congrats on Closing! Now, How Will You Get Your Deed?
Closing is the last step before you have the keys to your new home in hand, and your deed is on its way. The all-important deed is a legal instrument (document) that shows the transfer of property ownership from the seller, over to you, the buyer. This document confirms your ownership status for the property…
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Bought a Home, Got Laid Off: Options for Homeowners Facing Financial Hardship
It’s possible to receive a final approval for your mortgage, make it through closing day, get your deed, and then… get laid off. It’s also possible to have an unexpected employment change before you close. When calamity strikes the innocent borrower, what’s next? What steps are best taken to make the path ahead bearable? Let’s…
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Gen Z Rising: Younger Buyers’ Strategies in the Housing Market
Twentysomethings acquiring deeds? It’s a thing. But in this market, how are Gen Zers pulling it off? According to the National Association of REALTORS®, Gen Z now holds 3% of U.S. home deeds. And the numbers also suggest that many young buyers had to be awfully scrappy to get these deeds.
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Mortgage Life Insurance: What Is It? Who Needs It?
As soon as you close on your new home and the deed is in your name, expect to find a whole lot of marketing materials in your mailbox. Some of these items will be from insurers. You might get offers for mortgage life insurance (a.k.a mortgage protection insurance) and wonder if it’s worth looking into.…
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Selling Without a Real Estate Agent? New Incentives, New Challenges
You might have heard that selling your home yourself could save you thousands of dollars in agent commissions. It’s a fact. Putting your home up For Sale By Owner (FSBO) is one way to get around agent commissions — which do still exist! Yet there are hurdles as well as potential rewards for the FSBO…
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Feds Target Predatory Lenders, Call Out “Nightmare” Scenarios for Deed Seekers
The U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is acting to block predatory financing, redlining, and zombie mortgages. What’s all this about predators, red lines and zombies, you ask? Let’s break it down.
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Should My Spouse Add Me to the Deed?
Congratulations on your marriage! One of the many questions you might have about your life ahead is whether to go onto your life partner’s home deed. While we can’t provide personalized advice, we’re glad to offer a set of considerations for anyone asking this question. Follow up with your financial adviser on the points you…
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Transferring Your Deed Into Your LLC
Thinking about transferring the deed to your rental property into a limited liability company? Many investors do it. About 17% of investment properties across the country are held in LLCs. Here, we look at reasons to put real estate into an LLC, and how it’s done. And we’ll point to a few more things worth…
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Could Your Home Equity Help You Meet Longtime Goals? Pick Your Goal and See.
Lenders love sending direct mail, suggesting that deed holders borrow against the value of their homes. And you might be wondering: Maybe accessing some cash could really let me meet personal goals. Your home’s equity — your home’s value, minus what you owe on your current mortgage — is typically the collateral for the lender.…
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As Asheville Recovers, Home Buyers Rethink the Whole “Climate Haven” Idea
Asheville, a quaint and popular North Carolina town, has long been known for its welcoming atmosphere and a mild, inviting climate. Indeed, a public radio station once showcased Asheville as winning the real estate stakes of an unsettled climate. It’s now well understood that tropical storms get supercharged by human-driven effects on the atmosphere’s temperatures.…
