Posts by Frank Dowd
Do I Really Need Owner’s Title Insurance?
Between fees and unexpected additional costs, buying a house can end up costing more than you anticipated. So it’s totally normal to question those extra items and whether or not you really need them. Take owner’s title insurance. If you’re going to have a mortgage, your lender will insist on a lender’s policy, but is…
Read Full ArticleTaking Emotion Out of Buying a House
After months of house hunting, the Johnsons had grown weary. With their long list of items that the “perfect” house must have, they feared they wouldn’t ever find what they were looking for. Sure, the last house they saw had everything they needed, but it just didn’t feel like home. And then, the impossible happened.…
Read Full ArticleHot Backyard Design Trends for Summer
Years ago, the ideal backyard included a patio set, a pool, and maybe a cool water slide. Today, the backyard is prime real estate for an inviting outdoor living space. That’s right—homeowners are dreaming big when it comes to designing their backyards, and they aren’t shy about turning those dreams into realities. From thriving gardens…
Read Full ArticleWhy Hiring the Right Real Estate Agent Matters
When you’re selling or buying real estate, whether residential or commercial, hiring the right agent can make the difference between sale or no sale. Presently we’re involved in a commercial purchase transaction, with a purchase price of more than $3 million. Unfortunately the appraisal for the property came in $800,000 below the contract sale price,…
Read Full ArticleTrying to Flip Houses with No Money Down? Good Luck.
Whenever I start hearing these radio commercials or see the so-called brand new investor on television proudly displaying his check for thousands of dollars in profits, I know it won’t be long before we start receiving calls and emails from “wanna be” investors. The question we get… Do you have experience settling “flipped” or as…
Read Full ArticlePlacing our client’s best interests above all else
As professionals working within the real estate industry, we are and should be held to the highest standards under the law when it comes to protecting the interests of our client. You’ll find many definitions of “fiduciary duty,” but this one seems to sum it up perfectly. “A fiduciary duty is the highest standard of…
Read Full ArticleWhy choosing the right settlement company matters
I received a call last week from a mortgage broker with a question about a possible title insurance claim. He was contacted by a client who has a friend that refinanced in 2006. At closing the homeowners paid off their existing mortgage, a municipal utility lien for $15,000 and received a small amount of cash…
Read Full ArticleTurning your “For Sale” sign to SOLD
During the course of my daily travels, I pass this house three or four times a week, that has been listed for sale with a real estate agent for almost a year now. At this point, the “for sale” sign seems to be nothing more than a lawn ornament to daily passers-by like myself. For…
Read Full ArticleNeed a copy of the deed to your property? Don’t fall for this scam.
We’re hearing from more and more people who are receiving letters in the mail from third-party companies that are offering to provide you with a certified copy of the deed to your property for a small fee of $89. The letters that I’ve seen would lead you to believe that if you don’t have the…
Read Full ArticleYou know a good deal when you see one…or do you?
Last week I came across a post on a social media site from a real estate agent in PA who was teaming up with their in-house mortgage company and a title insurance company, offering discounts on their services when you hired them to buy a house. The real estate company was offering a modest commission…
Read Full ArticleAffordable Care Act: Well intended but seriously flawed.
If you follow my posts on social media, you know I am not a supporter of many of the provisions in the “Affordable Care Act.” Especially the mandates driving healthcare costs through the roof for small businesses. I acknowledge that there are serious problems with our current healthcare system and the GOP has failed in…
Read Full ArticleDo you know where your property begins and ends?
Unless you’re purchasing new construction, you’re most likely taking someone else’s word for it when they tell you that the property line “goes all the way back to the tree line and over to the fence.” Unless you are able to locate the lot pins that were put in place the last time the property…
Read Full ArticleYou never know what you’ll read next on social media.
I stumbled upon this Facebook post today from a local real estate broker. The names have been changed to protect the greedy. “What a great office/business meeting today. We had 85 percent of all our agents in attendance. Our title company XYZ Abstract released our quarterly profits. Our agents with one share got a check…
Read Full ArticleSettlement Nightmares…Tales of trouble around the closing table that could have been avoided.
Our goal at ALT has always been to offer you no-nonsense advice, and help you avoid unnecessary pitfalls during the process of buying or refinancing real estate. In the spirit of the season, I thought I would share a few horror stories from around the closing table. If you’re thinking about buying a home, don’t…
Read Full ArticleBuying new construction? You’d better hire the right title company.
When you deal with a builder, you’ll need an experienced, independent title company to assist you in leveling the playing field.
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