What’s Going On With Real Estate Commissions?
What’s Going On With Real Estate Commissions? In case you missed it, a jury in Missouri recently determined that the National Association of Realtors (NAR), along with a group of…
Read Full Post7.055 % on VA Loan
Eligibility is based on load amount and credit score. Email This Lender Loan Officer : Franco D’Angelo Company Name : BMC Keystone
Read Full Post6.855 % FHA Loan
Eligibility is based on load amount and credit score. Email This Lender Company Name : Norstar Mortgage
Read Full Post7.000 % on a 30 Year Fixed Rate
Eligibility is based on loan amount and credit score. Email This Lender Company Name : BMC Keystone
Read Full PostDo I need the Enhanced Policy
An Enhanced Homeowner’s Title Insurance Policy offers additional coverage for some very specific – and somewhat rare – situations.
Read Full PostMyth: Title Insurance Costs the Same Everywhere
Myth: Title Insurance Costs the Same Everywhere Home Buyer Quick Facts by ALT Title “Don’t assume that the providers your lender selects have been chosen for low rates or good…
Read Full PostWho Chooses The Settlement Company?
Who Chooses The Settlement Company? Home Buyer Quick Facts by ALT Title “Don’t assume that the providers your lender selects have been chosen for low rates or good service.” CFPB…
Read Full PostForms You May Be Asked to Sign That Have Nothing to Do With Your Offer
Let’s face it, there can be both excitement and anxiety when you’re making an offer on a new house. With all of that emotion, it’s so important to understand what…
Read Full PostHome Buyer’s Guide to Savings
THE ALT TITLE HOME BUYER’S GUIDE TO SAVINGS 5 Strategies for minimizing out-of-pocket closing costs and maximizing allowable credits to save thousands more. ALT works with local lenders and real…
Read Full PostAvoid the One Stop Shop
The one stop shop approach may sound convenient, but let the buyer beware. All-under-one-roof is rarely a cost effective way to shop for anything, especially a house.
Read Full PostRealtor Lender Page
Supporting Real Estate Professionals Since 2002 Technology, Service & Savings for Your Clients ALT Title is a full service title insurance and settlement service company conducting business throughout Pennsylvania from…
Read Full PostSave Thousands of Dollars on Pennsylvania Real Estate Closing Costs with These 5 Tips
Buying a home? Refinancing a mortgage? Save thousands of dollars on Pennsylvania real estate closing costs – in any market – with these 5 tips.
Read Full PostShop around! Don’t pay too much for title insurance.
Here are a few helpful tips to keep in mind as you shop around for title insurance: 1. Don’t waive your right to choose your own title company. Your real…
Read Full PostFirst Time Home Buyer’s Guide to Title Insurance & Final Settlement
First Time Home Buyer’s Guide to Title Insurance & Final Settlement You don’t need help answering fluffy questions like what kind of neighborhood do you want, or what’s the difference…
Read Full PostThe Real Estate Professional’s Guide to the new TRID Rules
TRID rules go into effect Oct 3, 2015 and will change the consumer mortgage process. Understand the integrated forms, the new processes and timelines.
Read Full PostALT’s Consumer’s Guide to TRID
TRID: Get an overview of the new regulations that will reform the consumer mortgage and settlement process starting in October 2015.
Read Full PostThere are 4 keys to selling your house. The rest is nonsense.
There are four main ingredients to be successful in selling your house. All of the other nonsense is just personal promotion to justify hefty commissions.
Read Full PostWhen are my real estate taxes officially due?
If you’re moving from Philadelphia to one of the outlying suburbs you’ll need to become familiar with the different real estate related taxes, when they’re due and who collects them.…
Read Full PostThe Battle Over Real Estate Commissions & Fees
When it comes to real estate and automobiles don’t try to distract me with percentages and monthly payment amounts. If you’re selling your $300,000 house, 6% doesn’t sound as expensive as $18,000. As a consumer I want to speak in actual dollars and I don’t want to pay you a penny more than I have to for your services.
Read Full PostMessage for Wells Fargo Settlement Agents
Here is the complete communication that we received in an email from Wells Fargo dated December 10, 2014 for those of you who wish to read it in its entirety:…
Read Full PostGet Your Home Ready for Halloween
With nearly 42 million potential trick-or-treaters this year, you’ll want to be sure that your home meets the fun and safety standards of today’s eager Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Monster High visitors.
Read Full PostShould You Make Renovations Before Selling Your House?
Instead of looking for big projects you think your home needs before it hits the market, there are a lot of small and inexpensive things you can do that can make all the difference. Especially since expensive projects are rarely worth your time and money if your goal is simply to sell your house.
Read Full PostThe Times They Are a’Changin’: Will the Zillow-Trulia Merger Change the Way We Buy and Sell Real Estate In America?
Will the Zillow-Trulia merger streamline the currently disconnected home-buying/selling process and reduce the amount of money it costs to buy and sell real estate? The merger is a huge deal, and the impact of it will ripple across the entire real estate industry, affecting homebuyers and home sellers in a number of different ways. Finally.
Read Full PostDon’t Make These Mortgage Mistakes
Buying a house is often more complicated than most people expect; it’s not a matter of simply finding a house you like and giving the seller money for it. There…
Read Full PostShould I Have an Attorney Present When Buying New Construction?
One of the biggest ways you can protect yourself when buying from a builder is by hiring an attorney to review any contracts before you sign them.
Read Full PostA Mortgage Prequalification Ain’t as Easy as it Used to Be
If you wanted to buy a house twenty-five years ago, you would have called your lender and asked for a prequalification letter. You would have told him/her your annual income…
Read Full PostShould You Take Out a Second Mortgage?
Years ago, second mortgages were all the rage; with the appeal of gaining access to extra cash, it’s obvious why that was the case. But then the recession hit, leaving…
Read Full PostYes, It’s True – Fees Are Negotiable When Buying a House
When you’re buying a new house, the actual house itself isn’t the only thing you’re paying for-there are a number of fees that are rolled into the final price in…
Read Full PostHot 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.…
Read Full PostTrying 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…
Read Full PostPlacing 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…
Read Full PostTurning 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…
Read Full PostAffordable 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…
Read Full PostDo 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…
Read Full PostYou 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…
Read Full PostSettlement 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…
Read Full PostBuying 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.
Read Full PostPhilly’s Economic Future Starts & Ends with Education
The political tug of war between city and state officials and organized labor about how to fund and educate children in the city of Philadelphia is nearing the point of…
Read Full PostAdjustable Rate Mortgages (ARMs), They’re Not All Bad
As mortgage interest rates begin to rise, some homebuyers will be looking for an alternative to the thirty year fixed rate mortgage. The truth of the matter is… if used…
Read Full PostALT’s 11th Anniversary
Associates Land Transfer Company recently celebrated its eleventh anniversary in business. I’m proud to say that the principles on which we founded the company eleven years ago continue to be…
Read Full PostTD Bank Strikes Again
It isn’t all that uncommon for a purchase closing to be delayed due to an issue with the buyer’s mortgage company. Problems with the appraisal, an insurance issue or a…
Read Full PostApparently customers aren’t "part of the family"
I couldn’t help but have one of those feel good moments after our company helped this young couple save so much money at closing. This story is not exceptional; the…
Read Full PostTD Bank Responds
A quick update to last week’s TD Bank story. TD saw our post about a client’s very frustrating experience when refinancing with their bank. Within an hour or two of…
Read Full PostTD Bank…America’s Most Frustrating Bank
If you need to know the time and temperature while you’re watching Jimmy Kimmel, cashing a check or depositing a jar of coins on a Sunday morning, TD Bank might…
Read Full PostRead this before signing a contract to use your builder’s title company
Choose an independent title company to represent you. They won’t be influenced by the builder when it comes to correcting title issues.
Read Full PostQualified Mortgage Rule is Common Sense
I invite you to read this recent article by real estate columnist Alan J. Heavens regarding new mortgage rules. Agency’s New Definition May Calm Mortgage Fears, January 27, Philly.com The…
Read Full PostFor Sale by Owner Guide to Selling
4 Essential Steps to Selling Your Home Like a Pro, from Staging to Closing the Deal About 15% of all home sales are private transactions or For Sale by Owner…
Read Full PostHighlights of CFPB Proposal
CFPB’s MORTGAGE DISCLOSURE REFORM The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has proposed changes to the mortgage disclosure process, which would have a major impact on settlement procedures for most consumer…
Read Full PostRefinancing and need to keep your second mortgage?
Often times, smaller can mean more personal service, better interest rates and faster loan approvals. But avoid a bank that is too small and looking for more ways to increase…
Read Full PostIt’s still a good time to refinance
For those who may be thinking about refinancing an existing mortgage, we’d like to share an email we sent out to our clients at the start of summer. In case you thought…
Read Full PostALT is here to help!
When we say “ALT is here to help you” we really mean it! We recently did a closing for a nice couple in Bucks County. They bought a new home,…
Read Full PostThe Facts on Title Insurance
What is title insurance? Title insurance protects the home owner and mortgage lender against ownership disputes relating to your property. Title Insurance is a specific type of insurance, paid in…
Read Full PostHow much does title insurance cost?
The cost of title insurance for a sale is determined by the purchase price for the property and for a refinance, the loan amount determines the price. Title insurance premiums,…
Read Full PostCall for Mortgage Disclosure Regulation
Have you ever purchased or refinanced real estate and had to deal with the stress of getting your final closing costs last-minute, because you were at the mercy of your…
Read Full PostMoney Saving Tips for the Summer
As homeowners, we all like to reduce the household expenses whenever we can. Given the high temperatures in our region these last few weeks, here are a few money-saving tips for keeping…
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