Buying a Home
How to Make Your Offer Stand Out
When you fall in love with a home in your budget range, it can be magical. It might also be the start of a fierce competition; it’s very possible that there are other buyers out there that feel the same way you do. Good news – there are ways to make your offer stand out…
Read Full ArticleUnderstanding the Financial Process When Buying a New House
If you’re a first time homebuyer, you’ve probably realized that the process isn’t an easy one. To ensure that everything goes well, it’s important to prepare as much as possible beforehand. When it comes to the financial aspect of buying a house, you should know what will be expected of you before you can get…
Read Full ArticleIs Shopping for a Title Insurance and Settlement Service Company a Waste of Time?
So, your realtor just referred you to a title insurance and settlement company. But that doesn’t mean that’s where you’ll get the best deal or the best service. “Homebuyers should shop around because the cost of the services, as well as the services themselves, will vary greatly from company to company,” said Frank Dowd, Licensed…
Read Full ArticleUnderstanding a Homeowner’s Insurance Policy
A homeowner’s insurance policy is designed to protect you and your home from perils. Here is a look at the basics of what this type of insurance policy is, what you’ll be covered for, and anything else you may want to consider when taking out an insurance policy on your house.
Read Full ArticleMust-Have Homebuyer Apps
Buying a house is an exciting time, but a stressful one as well. More often than not, homebuyers are burdened with self-doubt, confusion over paperwork and industry-related jargon, and the general stress of making a huge financial commitment—all of which make it difficult to stay on the ball. Fortunately, however, there are apps for that.…
Read Full ArticleDo 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 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 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 ArticleRates still historically low, but how much you pay for the house still matters.
While none of us have a crystal ball, the smart money says that interest rates that have been rising over the last few months will continue to go higher and higher. An environment where rates are rising will almost certainly put downward pressure on housing prices. The question still remains, is this the best time…
Read Full ArticleTop 3 Reasons to Give Up Your Right to Choose
We’ve designed our website www.ALTtitle.com to be a resource for anyone who’s considering buying or refinancing real estate. From the more than one thousand people who visit our site every month, we list the top three reasons that they’ve been given as to why they shouldn’t shop around for title insurance and related settlement services.…
Read Full ArticleWhy is my real estate agent so persistent about using her title company?
I just had a first time home buyer ask me the following question: Why is my real estate agent so persistent that I use her title insurance company? We would all like to assume that it’s because her title company delivers great service at a reasonable price, but unfortunately that is not the motivation in…
Read Full ArticleThinking Outside the Box
I love hearing stories like this one and enjoy working with real estate professionals who can think outside the box. It’s pretty common knowledge that real estate sales commissions are negotiable, but most consumers don’t realize that many top performing real estate agents are quick to reduce their commissions when it comes to making a…
Read Full ArticleShould I Pay a Broker’s Service Fee?
If you’ve sold or purchased a house in the last ten years or so, you most likely paid your real estate broker/agent a conveyancing fee or flat fee commission. This broker service fee ranges from $150 to $500, an amount due in addition to the base commission on the sale or purchase. With several different…
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