Title Companies
By Lydia Blair Special Contributor Buyers and sellers aren’t the only victims of real estate scams and crimes. Realtors are also a favorite target of crooks, criminals, and other shady types. Due to the nature of the real estate business, agents naturally come in contact and work with strangers on a regular basis. Most real […]
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By Lydia Blair Special Contributor The internet can be both an ally and an adversary to today’s home seller. When it comes to scams and cons, homeowners are easy prey for professional criminals. Let’s face it. When selling real estate, you are inviting strangers into your home. Figuratively with online photos, maps, and more. And […]
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By Lydia Blair Special Contributor Remember privacy? It’s what most Americans enjoyed a few decades ago. Today, it’s elusive and rare. It’s simple for any of us to find just about anyone with a few clicks on a keyboard. In an effort to reduce the solicitations for carpet cleaning, bogus tax filing services, mortgage insurance […]
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By Lydia Blair Special Contributor When buying or selling a home, get ready to reveal some private details through background checks. We’re going to pry, inspect, confirm, clarify, authenticate, and document a lot about you, your finances, and the property. Some of the surprises we unearth would shock your mother, but maybe not your banker. […]
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For those who are laundering ill-gotten gains via real estate transactions, regulators are about to make life much, much harder. Geographic Targeting Orders (GTO) are temporary regulations put in place by the U.S. Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). The overall point of the orders is to understand and curtail money laundering, tax evasion, and […]
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By Lydia Blair Special Contributor Even though the services offered and fees charged by title companies across Texas are standardized, there is some variation in how they operate. Just as real estate brokerages and real estate agents vary in their operating standards and styles, so do title companies. Title companies in Texas have three basic […]
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