5 Title Insurance Questions to Consider when Purchasing a Home
For most people, purchasing or refinancing a home happens only a few times in a lifetime. And thus the topic of title insurance is only top of mind for a fleeting moment once every few years. So if you’re in the process of selling or buying real estate, here are a few refresher questions you […]
Betrayed with an Uninsured Deed…
An escrow officer in one of our sister operations opened a purchase transaction for $347,000. She ordered the title report and the order was assigned to Casandra, a commercial title officer. Casandra issued the report reflecting two owners of record: Maysa Alhelow, a single woman and Thomas Paul Helo, a married man as his sole […]
Zoning questions? Here’s how we can help…
Is my property subdividable? Can I start a home-based business here? Are there height restrictions? Buyers or sellers may ask questions like the ones above. The answers may often be found deep in the zoning code for a particular neighborhood or parcel. What is Zoning? Zoning is a device of land use planning used by […]
The Probate Path – Single at Death
Recent blogs have discussed probate issues, or problems associated with a “lack of probate.” If a home is to be sold but the record owner is deceased it is imperative to identify who now owns the property. The transaction can then close if the proper parties execute a deed to the buyer. We are not […]
Ticor Title Fact Sheet – Q3 2011
The financial strength and claims paying ability of a title insurance company is very important in these times of change in our industry. With Ticor Title in the Pacific Northwest you can rest assured that our commitment to you is established on a rock solid financial foundation. The fact sheet below will give you a […]
Which Title Insurance Policy Should I Choose?
What is the difference between the various types of owner’s title insurance policies? We hear this question often. There are three types of owner’s policies; Standard, Extended, and ALTA Homeowner’s. It’s important to note that the ALTA Homeowner’s Policy is specified by default on the NWMLS (Northwest Multiple Listing Service) Form 22. Title Insurance Choices […]
Condo or Co-op, What’s the Difference?
Washington has a lot of condominiums, but also its share of cooperatives, especially in the Seattle metro area. On the surface they may seem similar. So what exactly is the difference between a Condo and a Co-op? What’s a Condo in plain english? A Type of Subdivision Both condo and co-op units are a type […]
20 Reasons for Title Insurance
We Hope You Never Have A Title Claim. Americans have the future in mind when they buy a house, and they purchase homeowners insurance to help protect that future. But with homeownership comes the need to protect the property against the past, as well as the future. Title insurance protects a policyholder against challenges to […]
Fake Short Pay Letters? True Story…
Leading the way. The FNF Family of Companies is the leader in the industry. Being the leader is not always easy. Many times we are the first ones who uncover the latest schemes and, as a result, issue a new policy and procedure. It is our settlement agents who are on the front lines implementing […]
What Happens Between Signing and Closing of Escrow…
Note: This Article was originally published October 25, 2011. An updated version with current information is available here: What’s the Difference Between Signing and Closing Escrow What’s the difference between “Signing” and “Closing Escrow?” When people talk about a real estate purchase, they sometimes use the terms “signing” and “closing” interchangeably in reference to the […]