RON: Title’s Fraud-Fighting Tool

One of the most fundamental aspects of title insurance work, legal descriptions have a long history in American real estate and serve as the foundation for the sound, legal transfer of property in our country. Here are some terms commonly…

Homebuying has become challenging in some markets due to increased home prices, rising interest rates, challenging lending requirements, and for some, poor credit ratings. Despite this, the interest in owning a home has not abated, leading some to turn to…

We all know that title insurance offers homeowners protection from claims to ownership or use. But what happens when the home in question is a mobile home? Is it considered a vehicle, personal property or real property? Can buyers of…

Did you know that every state has its own rules governing how married persons can legally hold title to real estate? There are five common methods of holding title – although no state recognizes all five. Here’s a summary of…

Sooner or later, every Doma Title Insurance, Inc. agent is presented with a title insurance commitment requirement calling for a Subordination Agreement (SA). What are they, and why are they important? The rights of a tenant under an existing lease…

The Importance of Surveys from California to the New York Islands Imagine purchasing your dream home, only to find out that your house was built on the incorrect lot, or that part of your home lies on your neighbor’s property,…

Determining who has authority to sign closing documents for a real property transaction, whether for a sale or refinance, is one of the most critical aspects of title work – but it also presents some challenges. Signing parties can include…

Since the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) introduced the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) in 1989, reverse mortgages have experienced a normal ebb and flow in the finance market. While changing federal regulations have impacted the demand for reverse mortgages, we…

Did you know that the American Land Title Association (ALTA) Homeowner’s (HO) Policy of Title Insurance offers the highest level of protection for homeowners – even exceeding the coverage of ALTA’s Standard or Extended Owner’s policies? The standard Owner’s Policy…

As children, many of us dreamed of having superhero powers, such as the power to fly, the power of X-ray vision, or the power to run faster than a speeding bullet. While these powers are of the fantasy realm, there…

If you are relatively new to the housing market, you may not be familiar with the term “wrap-around mortgages.” A popular tool in the early 1980s, they seem to be making a comeback thanks to rising interest rates, waning inventory…

As title professionals, we review lots of documents. Documents and their impact are what we insure. They allow us to assess risk appropriately, determine where land is located, indicate who owns the land and identify what liens may affect that…