The official start of fall is just a couple of weeks away. That means it’s time to prepare your home for cooler weather, falling leaves and eventually snow. Here is a handy checklist of things to do inside and outside your home to prepare for the changing seasons.
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Having a clear title is important to any real estate transaction, even if you are paying cash. When you have the title to a piece of property, it means you have the right to own and use that piece of property. The title also includes the legal documents that define the property’s boundary lines and how it’s allowed to be used. However, in order to get the title to the property you want, you’ll need the help of a good title company. Where should you start and what should you keep an eye out for?
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Before you take ownership of a new home, it’s important to obtain title insurance. Most lenders require that you purchase title insurance to protect their investment. It also protects you if any issues come up with the title, such as liens or unpaid taxes.
Choosing a title company is one of the more critical decisions you will make when buying a home. The title company is crucial in every stage of a real estate purchase from the title search to the closing process. The title company is also responsible for securing your funds, so you will want to ask these very important questions of the companies you are considering.
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At Ratified Title Group, we work hard to get you to closing as smoothly as possible. That includes making sure there aren’t any defects on the title of your property by doing a title search. A title search is necessary to obtain a title insurance policy. The information collected during a title search will give you peace of mind about the property you are buying and reduce the risk of title problems presenting themselves in the future.
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If you are buying a home, you’ll want to schedule a home inspection as soon as the seller accepts your offer. A home inspection can help you make a more informed decision about the home you’re buying, identify any potential issues with the home and possibly save you money on unexpected repairs.
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As a title company, it’s our job to do a deep search on your property to make sure everything is good to go on closing day. In an effort to clear the title of your property, one of the pieces of the puzzle is to search your name and see if there any persons with similar names who may have liens on judgements against them. The procedure to acquire this information is known as a Statement of Information.
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When it comes to real estate, many of us know that having a real estate agent on your side is needed if you’re planning to sell your home or buy a new home. You probably also know that you need a mortgage company. You may, however, have questions about the role a title company has in a real estate transaction. Here is a list of the most common questions we get asked and the answers to those questions.
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At the time of writing this article, we have been seeing quite a bit of investment activity around D.C., Maryland and Virginia. One of the more noticeable investments we are seeing are 1031 Exchanges. If you own an investment or rental property, you may already know about 1031 exchanges. But if you don’t, you’ll want to keep reading to find out what a 1031 exchange is and how this powerful method could benefit you.
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Interest rates are at a historic low, resulting in many homeowners refinancing their homes. If you currently have a mortgage, you are locked into your interest rate for the term of that mortgage. If you want to take advantage of the lower interest rates, you’ll have to refinance. Refinancing replaces your existing mortgage with a new one.
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Despite the current pandemic, people are still buying and selling homes, although, we have seen a drop in sales up to about 20%. The good news is that rates continue to be low and many people are refinancing their homes. The industry has adapted to dealing with the current environment and coming up with strategies to keep working.
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